^, 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


11.25 


Li|2j8     |2^ 

!![  1^   12.0 


m 

'A^ 


^^ 


/] 


^>V.> 


'V^.''-^** 


Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


^^^ 


23  WEST  MAIN  STRICT 

WnSTIR,N.Y.  M580 

(716)873-4503 


0 

4^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  institute  for  Historical  IMicroreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  h«storiques 


\ 


\ 


<V 


Tachnicai  and  Blbliographie  Notaa/Notaa  tachniqua*  at  bibliographiquaa 


Tha  Inatituta  haa  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  boat 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographieally  unlqua. 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
rjproduction.  or  which  may  aignifieantly  changa 
tha  uaual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  balow. 


□   Colourad  covara/ 
Couvartura  da  eoulaur 


r~|   Covara  damagad/ 


Couvartura  andommagAa 


□   Covara  raatorad  and/or  laminatad/ 
Couvartura  raataurAa  at/ou  pallieul4a 


r~n   Covar  titia  miaaing/ 


D 
D 
D 
□ 


D 


La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 

Colourad  mapa/ 

Cartaa  gtegraphiquaa  an  eoulaur 


Colourad  ink  (i.a.  othar  than  blua  or  black)/ 
Encra  da  eoulaur  (i.a.  autra  qua  blaua  ou  noira) 

Colourad  plataa  and/or  illuatrationa/ 
Planchaa  at/ou  illuatrationa  an  eoulaur 

Bound  with  othar  matarial/ 
Ralii  avac  d'autraa  documanta 

Tight  binding  may  cauaa  shadowa  or  diatortion 
along  intarior  margin/ 

Laraiiura  sarria  paut  eauaar  da  I'ombra  ou  da  la 
diatoralon  la  long  da  la  marga  intAriaura 

Blank  laavaa  addad  during  raatoration  may 
appaar  within  tha  taxt.  Whanavar  posaibia,  thaaa 
hava  baan  omittad  from  filming/ 
II  aa  paut  qua  cartainaa  pagaa  blanchaa  ajoutiaa 
lora  d'una  raatauration  apparaiaaant  dana  la  taxta, 
mala,  loraqua  cala  Atait  poaaibla.  caa  pagaa  n'ont 
paa  4t«  fiimAaa. 


L'Inatitut  a  microfilm*  la  malllaur  axamplaira 
qu'il  lui  a  iti  poaaibla  da  aa  proeurar.  Laa  d*taila 
da  cat  axamplaira  qui  sont  paut-Atra  uniquaa  du 
point  da  vua  bibliographiqua,  qui  pauvant  modif  iar 
una  imaga  raproduita.  ou  qui  pauvant  axigar  una 
modification  dana  la  m^thoda  normala  da  fiimaga 
font  indiquAa  ci-dataoua. 


D 
D 
D 
0 
D 
Q 
D 
D 
D 
D 


Colourad  pagaa/ 
Pagaa  da  eoulaur 

Pagaa  damagad/ 
Pagaa  andommagiaa 

Pagaa  raatorad  and/or  laminated/ 
Pagaa  raataurtaa  at/ou  palliculiaa 

Pagaa  diacolourad.  atainad  or  foxad/ 
Pagaa  dAcoioriaa,  tachatiat  ou  piquAas 

Pagaa  datachad/ 
Pagaa  ditachias 

Showthrough/ 
Tranaparanca 

Quality  of  print  variaa/ 
Qualiti  inAgaia  da  I'impraaaion 

Includaa  aupplamantary  material/ 
Comprand  du  matirial  auppl4mantaira 

Only  edition  available/ 
Saula  Mition  disponibie 

Pagee  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
alips,  tisauaa.  etc..  heve  been  refiimed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pagee  totalament  ou  pertiellement 
obacurciaa  par  un  fauillet  d'errata.  una  pelure, 
etc..  ont  *t*  filmies  *  nouveau  da  fa^on  A 
obtanir  la  mailleure  imaga  possible. 


Th4 
to 


Th 
po 
of 
fill 


Or 
ba 
thi 
sio 
oti 
fin 
aio 
or 


0 


Additional  commenta:/ 
Commentairea  supplAmantairaa: 


Wrinkiad  psgst  may  film  slightly  out  of  focus. 


Th 
shi 
Til 
wh 

M« 

dif 
am 
be] 
rigl 
req 
ma 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  da  reduction  indiqu*  ci-daeaoua 

10X                            14X                            18X                           22X 

26X 

30X 

y 

12X 


16X 


aox 


24X 


28X 


32X 


Th«  copy  filmed  h«r«  has  b««n  raproducad  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

Inak  Walton  Klllun  MMiwrial  Library 
Daihouiia  Univaraity 


L'axampiaira  f  llmA  f  ut  raproduit  grica  A  la 
ginAroalti  da: 

laak  Walton  Killam  IMamorial  Library 
DaihoMiia  Univanity 


Tha  Imagas  appearing  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
poaaibia  eonsidaring  tha  condition  and  legibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  Icaeplng  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  ara  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  lest  page  with  a  printed  or  illuatratad  impree- 
slon.  or  the  beck  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  ere  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  Impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  lest  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  y  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Lea  imagea  auK^antea  ont  4ti  reproduites  svec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
da  la  natteti  de  I'exempielre  filmA,  et  en 
conformit*  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  de 
fllmaga. 

Lea  exemplalres  orlginaux  dont  la  couvarture  en 
papier  est  ImprlmAe  sont  filmis  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  termlnant  soit  par  la 
darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  emprelnte 
d'impresslon  ou  d'iiiustretion,  soit  per  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  las  autres  exemplalres 
origineux  sont  fllmte  en  commenpant  par  la 
pramiAre  page  qui  comporte  une  emprelnte 
d'impresslon  ou  d'illustration  et  en  termlnant  par 
la  darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
emprelnte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparattra  sur  la 
darnlAre  Image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  -^^  signirie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  ▼  signlfie  "FIN". 


IMaps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  et 
different  reduction  retios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diegrems  illustrate  the 
method: 


Lea  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
fiimis  A  des  taux  de  rMuction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  !e  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atra 
raproduit  en  un  seul  clichA,  II  est  film*  A  partir 
da  Tangle  supArleur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  heut  en  has,  an  prenant  le  nombre 
d'imeges  nteesssire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  le  mAthode. 


1  2  3 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

V    - '■ 


tv 


*■  ■■■»f. 


tl 


."*- 


'■"    v^ 


> 


A 


DIARY    IN    AMERICA, 


WITH  )  , 


REAfARKS  ON  ITS  INSTITUTIONS. 


M. 


BY       .  '^ 

CAPT.  MARRYAT,  C.B.,   .; 

AUTHOR  or 

"PETER  [SIMPLE,"   "JACOB   FAITHFUL,"  , 
"FRANK   MILDMAY,"&c. 


* 


:% 


NEW  YORK: 
D.  APPLETON  &  CO.,  200  BROADWAY. 

:,'".".  1839.    .,    ..    ■.  \    "- 


<aj 


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nmiitA^  m  -fnAm 


itrj/.' 


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CVj.', 


Iw, 


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.iT,rf 


v!-"     «  i- 


"TU 


i;^^3.i,^ 


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J>      >!'';Hi    .'/ 


vr.'''i't.,r 


^-iJ^'I   •:,>:) 


1 .  ^.  1 


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■;■  '  1. 


YAV/rr^(, 


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.:r:l.i^rr'^<k»'..\:.'  i 


••v«f1..f: 


■■ 

5^";»Ml'f  &it3,  -.  :r^^t\     . 

1 

■1'. 

INTRODUCTION. 

,,..v,..,ij,i  ■                                                                  .  i;>-Jyw 

"  «i  ■'   ' '           .               -  ii^ii:? 

# 


After  many  years  of  travel,  during  which  I  had  seen  men  undar 
almost  every  variety  of  government,  rehgion,  and  climate,  I  looked  round 
to  discover  if  there  were  not  still  new  combinations  under  which  hu* 
man  nature  was  to  be  investigated.  I  had  traversed  the  old  country 
until  satisfied,  if  not  satiated ;  and  I  had  sailed  many  a  weary  thousand 
miles  from  west  to  east,  and  from  north  to  south,  until  people,  manners, 
and  customs  were  looked  upon  by  me  with  indifference. 
.  The  press  was  constantly  pouring  out  works  upon  the  new  world,  so 
contradictory^  to  each  other,  and  pronounced  so  unjust  by  the  Americans, 
that  my  curiosity  was  excited.  It  appeared  strange  to  me  that  fi-avellers 
whose  works  showed  evident  marks  of  talent  should  view  the  same  peo- 
ple througl^  sueh  very  different  mediums ;  and  that  their  gleanings  should, 
generally  speaking,  be  of  such  meagre  materials.  Was  there  so  little  to 
be  remarked  about  America,  its  government,  its  institutions,  and  the 
effect  which  these  had  upon  the  people,  that  the  pages  of  so  many  writers 
upon  that  country  should  be  filled  up  with,  how  the  Americans  dined  or 
drank  wine,  and  what  description  of  spoons  and  forks  were  used  at  table  t 
Either  the  Americans  remained  purely  and  unchangedly  English,  as  when 
thev  left  their  father-lanu ;  or  the  question  required  more  investigation 
and  deeper  research  than  travellers  in  their  hasty  movements  have  been 
able  to  bestow  upon  it.  Whether  I  should  be  capable  of  throwmg  any 
new  light  upon  the  subject,  I  knew  not,  but  at  all  events  I  made  up  my 
mind  tnat  I  would  visit  the  country  and  judge  for  myself. 

,0n  my  first  arrival  I  perceived  little  difference  between  the  'city  of 
N0W  York  and  one  of  our  principal  provincial  towns  ;  and,  for  its  pea< 
pie,  not  half  so  much  as  between  the  people  of  Devonshire  or  Cornwall 
and  those  of  Middlesex.  I  had  been  two  or  three  weeks  in  that  city,  and 
I  said :  There  is  certainly  not  much  to  write  about,  noi;  much  more  than 
what  has  already  been  so  continually  repeated.  No  wonder  that  those 
who  preceded  me  have  indulged  in  puerilities  to  swell  out  their  books.  . 
But  in  a  short  time  I  altered  my  opinion  :  even  at  New  York,  the  Eng- 
lish appearance  of  the  people  gradually  wore  away ;  my  perception  of 
character  became  more  keea,  my  observance  consequently  more  nice  and 
close,  and  I  found  that  there  was  a  great  deal  to  reflect  upon  and  investi- 
gate, and  that  America  and  the  American  people  were  indeed  an  enigma ; 
and  I  was  mo  longer  surprised  at  the  incongruities  which  were  to  be  de- 
tected in  those  works  which  had  attempted  to  describe  the  country.  I 
do  not  assert  that  I  shall  myself  succeed,  when  so  many  have  failed,  but 
at  any  rate,  this  I  am  certain  of,  my  remarks  will  be  based  upon  a  more 
sure  foundation — an  analysis  of  human  nature. 

There  are  many  causes  why  those  who  have  written  upon  America 


INTRODVOTION. 


have  fallen  into  error :  they  have  represented  the  Americans  as  a  nation ; 
now  they  are  not  yet,  nor  will  they  for  many  years  be,  in  the  true  sense 
of  the  word,  a  nation, — they  are  a  mass  of  many  people  cemented  together 
to  a  certain  defpree,  by  a  general  form  of  government ;  bat  they  are  in  a 
state  of  transition,  and  (what  may  at  first  appear  strange)  no  ^amalgama- 
tion has  vet  taken  place :  the  puritan  of  the  east,  the  Uutch*  descent  of 
the  middle  states,  the  cavalier  of  the  south,  are  nearly  as  marked  and 
distinct  now,  as  at  the  first  occupation  of  the  country,  softened  down  in- 
deed, but  still  distinct.  Not  only  are  the  populations  of  the  various 
states  distinct,  but  even  those  of  the  cities  :  and  it  is  hardly  possible  to 
make  a  remark  which  may  be  considered  as  general  to  a  country,  where 
the  varieties  of  soil  and  of  climate  are  so  extensive.  Even  on  that  point 
upon  which  you  mi^ht  most  safely  venture  to  generalize,  namely,  the 
effect  of  a  democratical  form  of  government  upon  the  mass,  your  obser- 
vations must  be  taken  with  some  exceptions,  arising  from  the  climate, 
manners,  and  customs,  and  the  means  of  livelihood,  so'  differing  in  this 
extended  country. 

Indeed  the  habit  in  which  travellers  indulge  of  repeating  facts  which 
have  taken  place,  as  having  taken  place  in  America,  has,  perhaps  unin- 
tentionally on  their  part,  very  much  misled  the  English  reader.  It  would 
hardly  be  considered  fair,  if  the  wilder  parts  of  Ireland,  and  the  disgrace- 
ful acts  lyhich  are  conunitted  there,  were  represented  as  characteristic  of 
England,  or  the  British  empire :  yet  between  London  and  Connaught 
there  is  less  difference  than  between  the  most  civilized  and  intellectual 
portion  of  America,  such  as  Boston  and  Philadelphia,  and  the  wild  re- 
gions, and  wilder  inhabitants  of  the  west  of  the  Mississippi,  and  Arkan- 
sas, where  reckless  beings  compose  a  scattered  population,  residing  too 
far  for  the  law  to  xetifih  ;  or  where  if  it  could  reacn,  the  jpower  of  the  go- 
vernment would  prove  much  too  weak  to  enforce  obedience  to  it.  To 
do  justice  to  all  parties,  America  should  be  examined  and  portrayed 
piecemeal,  every  state  separately,  for  every  state  is  different,  running 
down  the  scale  from  refinement  to  a  state  of  barbarism  almost  unprece- 
dented ;  but  each  presenting  matter  for  investigation  and  research,  and 
curious  examples  of  cause  and  effect. 

Many  of  those  who  have  preceded  me  have  not  been  able  to  devote 
sufficient  time  to  their  object,  and  therefore  have  failed.  If  you  have 
passed  through  a  strange  country,  totally  differing  in  manners,  and  oa8» 
toms,  and  language  from  your  own,  you  may  give  your  readers  some  idea 
of  the  contrast,  and  the  impressions  made  upon  you  by  what  you  saw, 
even  if  you  have  travelled  in  haste  or  sojourned  there  but  a  few  days  ;. 
but  when  the  similarity  in  manners,  customs,  and  language  is  so  great, 
that  you  may  imagine  yourself  to  be  in  your  own  country,  it  requires  more 
research,  a  greater  degree  of  acumen,  and  a  fuller  investigatioa  of  cause 
and  effect  that  can  be  given  in  a  few  months  of  rapid  motion.  More- 
over English  travellers  liave  apparently  been  more  active  in  examining 
the  interior  of  houses,  than  the  public  path  from  which  they  should  have 
drawn  their  conclusions ;  they  have  searched  with  the  curiosity  of  a 
^oman,  instead  of  examining  and  surveying  with  the  eye  of  a  philoso- 
pher. Following  up  this  wrong  track  has  been  the  occasion  of  much  in- 
discretion and  injustice  on  their  parts,  and  of  justifiably  indignant  feeling 
on  the  part  of  the  Americans.  By  many  of  the  writers  on  America,  the 
little  discrepancie^s,  the  mere  trifles  of  custom  have  been  dwelt  upon,,  with 
a  sarcastic,  ill-natured  severity  to  give  their  works  that  semblance  of 
pith,  in  which,  in  reality,  they  were  miserably  deficient ;  and  they  violated 
the  rights  of  hospitality  that  they  might  increase  their  interest  as  authois. 


I 


INTBODUCTIOir. 


and 


80- 

in- 


The  Americans  are  often  themwlves  the  cause  of  their  being  misre* 
presented ;  there  is  no  country  perhaps,  in  which  the  habit  of  deceiving 
for  amusement,  or  what  is  termed  hoaxing,  is  so  common.  Indeed  this 
and  the  hyperbole  constitute  the  major  part  of  American  humour.  If 
they  have  the  shghteat  suspicion  that  a  foreigner  i»  about  to  write  a  book, 
nothing  appears  to  give  them  so  much  pleasure  as  to  try  to  mislead  him : 
this  has  constantly  been  practised  upon  me,  and  for  all  I  know,  they  may 
in  some  instances  have  been  successful :  if  they  have,  all  I  can  say  of 
the  story  is  that  '*  se  non  e  vera,  e  ai  ben  trovato,"  that  it  might  have  hap- 
pened.* 

When  I  was  at  Boston,  a  gentleman  of  my  acquaintance  brought  me 
Miss  Martineau's  work,  and  was  excessively  delighted  when  he  pointed 
out  to  me  two  pages  of  fallacies,  which  he  had  told  her  with  a  grave  face, 
and  which  she  had  duly  recorded  and  printed.  This  practice,  added,  to 
another,  that  of  attempting  to  conceal  (for  the  Americans  are  aware  of 
many  of  their  defects),  has  been  with  me  productive  of  good  results  ;  it 
has  led  me  to  much  close  investigation,  and  has  made  me  very  cautious 
in  asserting  what  has  not  been  proved  to  my  own  satisfaction  to  be  worthy 
of  credibility. 

Another  difficulty  and  cause  of  misrepresentation  is,  that  travellers 
are  not  aware  of  the  jealousy  existing  between  the  inhabitants  of  the 
different  states  and  cities.  The  eastern  states  pronounce  the  southerners 
to  be  choleric,  reckless,  regardless  of  law,  and  indifferent  as  to  religion  ; 
while  the  southerners  designate  the  eastern  states  as  a  nursery  of  over- 
reaching pedlers,  selling  clocks  and  wooden  nutmegs.  This  running  into 
extremes  is  produced  from  the  clashing  of  their  interests  as  producers 
and  manufacturers.  Again,  Boston  turns  up  her  erudite  nose  at  New 
York ;  Philadelphia,  in  tier  pride,  looks  down  upon  both  New  York  and 
Boston ;  while  New  York,  chinking  her  dollars,  swears  the  Bostonians 
are  a  parcel  of  puritanical  prigs,  and  the  Philadelphians  a  would-be  aris- 
tocracy. A 'western  man  from  Kentucky,  when  at  Tremont  House  in 
Boston,  begged  me  particularly  not  to  pay  attention  to  nvhat  they  said  of 
his  state  in  that  quarter.  Both  a  Virginian  and  Tonnessean,  when  I  was 
at  New  York,  did  the  same. 

At  Boston,  I  was  drinking  champaign  at  a  supper.  "  Are  you  drink- 
ing champaign  V  said  a  young  Bostonian.  "That's  New  York — take 
claret ;  or  if  you  will  drink  champaign,  pour  it  into  a  green  glass,  and 
they  will  think  it  hock  ;  champaign's  not  right."  How  are  we  to  distin- 
guish between  right  and  wrong  in  this  queer  world  1  At  New  York  they 
do  drink  a  great  deal  of  champaign ;  it  is  the  small  beer  of  the  dinner- 
table.  Champaign  becomes  associated  with  New  York,  and  therefore  is 
not  right.  I  will  do  the  New  Yorkers  the  justice  to  say,  that,  as  far  as 
drinks  are  concerned,  they  are  above  prejudice :  all's  right  with  them, 
provided  there's  enough  of  it. 

*  Paragraph  from  a  New  York  paper. 
That  old,  deaf  English  maiden  lady.  Miss  Martineau,  who  travelled  through 
some  of  the  states,  a  few  years  since,  gives  a  full  account  of  Mr.  Poindex- 
ter's  death ;  unfortunately  for  her  veracity,  the  gentleman  still  lives  ;  but  this 
is  about  as  near  the  truth  as  the  majority  of  her  statements.  The  loafing 
English  men  and  women  who  visit  America,  as  penny-a-liners,  are  jierfectly 
understood  here,  and  Jonathan  amuses  himself  whenever  he  meets  them,  by 
imposing  upon  their  credulity  the  most  absurd  stories  which  he  can  invent, 
which  they  swallow  whole,  go  home  with  their  eyes  sticking  out  of  their 
heads  with  wonder,  and  print  all  they  have  heard  for  the  benefit  of  John 
Bull's  calves. 


ts. 


V 


0  '  iimoDVCTioir. 

The  above  remarki  will  testify,  that  travelters  in  America  hare  ffrent 
difficulties  to  contend  with,  and  that  their  channel*  of  information  nave- 
been  chiefly  those  of  the  drawing-room  or  dinner-table.  Had  I  worked 
through  the  same,  I  should  have  found  them  very  difficult  of  access  :  for 
the  Americans  had  determined  that  they  would  no  longer  extend  their 
hospitality  to  those  who  returned  it  with  ingratitude — nor  can  they  be 
blamed.  Lot  us  reverse  the  case.  Were  not  the  doors  of  many  houses 
in  England  shut  against  an  American  author,  when,  from  his  want  of 
knowledge  of  conveiitionAl  usage,  he  published  .what  never  should  have 
appeared  in  print  1  And  should  another  return  to  England,  tfter  his 
tetchy,  absura  remarks  upon  the  English,  is  there  much  chanee  of  his 
receiving  a  kind  welcome?  Most  assuredly  not;  both  these  authore 
will  be  received  with  caution.  The  Americans,  therefore,  are  not  only 
not  to  blame,  but  wouM  prove  themselves  very  deficient  in  a  proper  re- 
spect for  themselves,  if  they  again  admitted  into  their  domestic  circle* 
tnose  who  eventually  requited  them  with  abase. 

Admitting  this,  of  course  I  have  no  feelings  of  ill-will  toward  them 
for  any  want  of  hospitality  toward  me  ;  on  the  contrary,  I  was  pleased 
with  the  neglect,  as  it  left  me  free  and  unshackled  from  any  real  or  fan- 
cied claims  which  the  Americans  might  have  made  upon  me  on  that  score. 
Indeed,  I  had  not  been  three  weeks  in  the  country  before  I  decided  upon 
accepting  no  more  invitations,  even  charily  as  they  were  made.  I  found 
that,  although  invited,  my  presence  was  a  restraint  upon  the  company  ; 
every  one  appeared  afiaid  to  speak  ;  and  when  anything  ludicrous  occur- 
red, the  cry  would  be — "  Oh,  now,  Captain  Marryat,  don't  put  that  into 
your  book."  More  than  once,  when  1  happened  to  be  in  large  parties, 
a  Question  such  as  follows  would  be  put  to  me  by  some  "  free  and  en~ 
lightened  individual :"  "  Now,  Captain  M.,  I  ask  you  before  this  compa- 
ny, and  I  trust  you  will  give  me  a  categorical  answer,  Are  you,  or  are  yoi> 
not,  about  to  write  a  book  upon  this  country  1"  I  hardly  need  observe  to 
t^e  English  reader,  that,  under  such  circumstances,  the  restraint  became 
mutual ;  I  declined  all  ^rther  invitations,  and  adhered  to  this  determina- 
tion, aa  far  as  I  could  without  cause  of  offence,  during  my  whde  tour 
through  the  United  States. 

But  if  I  admit,  that  after  the  usage  which  they  had  received,  the  Ame- 
ricans are  justified  in  not  again  tendering  their  hospitality  to  the  Englishy 

1  cannot,  at  the  same  time,  but  express  my  opinion  as  to  their  conduct 
toward  ine  personally.  They  had  no  right  to  msult  and  annoy  me  in  the 
manner  they  did,  from  nearly  one  end  of  the  Union  to  the  other,  either 
because  my  predecessors  had  expressed  an  unfavourable  opinion  of  them 
before  my  arrival,  or  because  they  expected  that  I  would  do  the  same 
upon  my  return  to  my  own  country.  I  remark  upon  this  conduct,  not 
from  any  feeling  of  ill-will  or  desire  of  retaliation,  but  to  compel  the 
Americans  to  admit  that  I  am  under  no  obligations  to  them  ;  that  I  re- 
ceived from  them  much  more  of  insult  and  outrage  than  of  kindness  ;  and, 
consequently,  that  the  charge  of  ingratitude  cannot  be  laid  to  my  door, 
however  oifensive  to  them  some  of  the  remarks  in  this  work,may  happen 
to  be. 

And  here  I  must  observe,  that  the  Americans  can  no  longer  anticipate 
lenity  from  the  English  traveller,  as  latterly  they  have  so  deeply  commit- 
ted themselves.  Once,  indeed,  they  could  say,  "  We  admit  and  are  hos- 
pitable to  the  English,  who,  as  soon  as  they  leave  our  country,  turn  round, 
and  abuse  and  revile  us.  We  have  our  faults,  it  is  true  ;  but  such  conduct 
on  their  part  is  not  kind  or  generous."     But  they  can  say  this  no  longer : 


* 


INTBODUCTIOH. 


they  have  retaliated,  and  in  their  attacks  they  have  been  reffardlesa  of 
justice.     The  three  lyt  works  upon  the  Americans,  written  Dy  English 
authors,  were,  on  the  whole  favourable  to  them;  Mr.  Powers  and  Mr. 
Orund's  most  decidedly  so  ;  and  Miss  Martineau's,  filled  as  it  it  with 
absurdititis  and  fallacies,  was  intended,  at,  all  events,  to  be  favourable. 

In  opposition  to  them,  we  have  Mr.  Cooper's  remarks  upon  England, 
in  which  my  countrymen  are  certainly  not  spared  ;  and,  since  that  publi- 
cation, wo  have  another  of  much  ^eater  importance,  written  by  Mr.  Ca- 
rey, of  Philadelphia,  not,  indeed,  in  a  strain  of  vituperation  or  ill-feeling, 
but  asserting,  and  no  doubt  to  his  own  satisfaction  and  that  of  his  coun- 
trymen, proving,  that  in  every  important  point,  that  is  to  say,  under  the 
heads  of  "  Security  of  Person  and  Property,  of  Morals,  Education,  Re- 
ligion, Industry,  Invention,  Credit,"  (and  consequently  Honesty,)  Ame- 
rica is  in  advance  of  England  and  every  other  nation  in  Europe ! !  Tho 
tables,  then,  are  turned ;  it  is  no  longer  the  English,  but  the  Americans, 
who  are  the  assailants  ;  and  such  beine  the  case,  I  beg  that  it  may  be 
remembered,  that  many  of  the  remarks  which  will  subsequently  appear  in 
this  work  have  been  forced  from  me  by  the  attacks  made  upon  my  nation 
by  the  American  authors :  and  that,  if  I  am  compelled  to  draw  compari- 
sons, it  is  not  with  the  slightest  w/ish  to  annoy  or  humiliate  the  Ameri- 
cans, but  in  legitimate  and  justifiable  defence  of  my  own  native  land. 

America  is  a  wonderful  country,  endowed  by  the  Omnipotent  with  na- 
tural advantages  which  no  other  can  boast  of;  and  the  mind  can  hardly 
calculate  upon  the  degree  of  perfection  and  power  to  which,  whether  the 
states  are  eventually  separated  or  not,  it  may  in  the  course  of  two  cen- 
turies arrive.  At  present  all  is  energy  and  enterprise  ;  every  thing  is  in 
a  state  of  transition,  but  of  rapid  improvement — so  rapid,  indeed,  that 
those  who  would  describe  America  now,  would  have  to  conect  all  in  the 
short  space  of  ten  years ;  for  ten  years  in  America  is  almost  equal  to  a 
century  in  the  old  continent.  Now,  you  may  pass  through  a  wild  forest, 
where  the  elk  browses  and  the  panther  howls ;  in  ten  years,  that  very 
forest,  with  its  denizens,  will,  most  likely,  have  disappeared,  and  in  their 
place  you  will  find  towns  with  thousands  of  inhabitants ;  with  arts,  ma- 
nufactures, and  machinery,  all  in  full  activity. 

In  reviewing  America,  we  must  look  upon  it  as  showing  the  develope- 
ment  of  the  English  character  under  a  new  aspect,  arising  from  a  new 
state  of  things.  If  I  were  to  draw  a  comparison  between  the  English 
and  the  Americans,  I  should  say  that  there  is  almost  as  much  diflference 
between  the  two  nations  at  this  present  time,  as  there  has  long  been  be- 
tween the  English  and  the  Dutch.  The  latter  are  considered  by  us  as 
phlegmatic  and  slow  ;  and  we  may  be  considered  the  same,  compared 
with  our  energetic  descendants.  Time  to  an  American,  is  everything,* 
and  space  he  attempts  to  reduce  to  a  mere  nothing.  By  the  steam- 
boats, rail-roads,  and  the  wonderful  facilities  of  water-carriage,  a  journey 
of  five  hundred  miles  is  as  little  considered  in  America,  as  would  be  here 
a  journey  from  London  to  Brighton.  *'  Go  ahead"  is  the  real  motto  of  the 
country  ;  and  every  man  does  push  on,  to  gain  in  advance  of  his  neigh- 
bour. The  American  lives  twice  as  long  as  others  ;  for  he  does  twice 
the  work  during  the  time  that  he  lives.    He  begins  life  sooner:  at  fifteen 

*  The  clocks  in  America — there  rendered  so  famous  by  Sam  Slick — in- 
stead of  the  moral  lessons  inculcated  by  the  dials  in  this  country,  such  as 
"  Time  files,"  &c.,  teach  one  more  suited  to  American  feeling  :— 


"  Time  is  money  !" 


Sr^iJii- 


u*Li^- 


'^=-i%.".' 


8 


INTKOOUCTION. 


r   m 


he  is  considered  a  man,  plunges  into  the  stream  of  enterprise,  floats  and 
struggles  with  his  fellows.  In  every  trifle  an  American  shows  tho  value 
he  pats  upon  time.  He  rises  early,  eats  his  meals  With  the  rapidity  of  a 
wolf,  and  is  tho  whole  day  at  his  business.  If  he  be  a  merchant,  his 
money,  whatever  it  may  amount  to,  is  seldom  invested  ;  it  is  all  floating 
—his  accumulations  remain  actrve  ;  and  when  he  dies  his  wealth  h-i«  to  . 
be  collected  from  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe. 

Now,  all  this  energy  and  activity  is  of  Liiglish  origin  |  and  were  Eng- 
land expanded  into  America,  the  same  results  would  be  pro<lueed.  To  a 
certain  degree,  the  English  were  in  former  times  what  the  Americans  nro 
now :  and  this  it  is  which  has  raised  our  country  so  high  in  the  scale  of 
nations  ;  but  since  we  have  become  so  closely  packed — so  crowded,  that 
there  is  hardly  room  for  the  population,  our  activity  has  been  propurtion- 
ably  cramped  and  subdued.  But,  in  this  vast  and  favoured  country,  the 
very  associations  and  impressions  of  childhood  foster  and  enlighten  the 
intellect,  and  precociously  rouse  the  energies.  The  wide  erpanae  of  tori- 
tory  already  occupied — the  vast  and  magnificent  rivers — the  boundless 
regions  yet  remaining  to  be  peopled — the  rapidity  of  communication — the 
dispatch  with  which  every  tning  is  effected,  are  evident  almost  to  the 
child.  To  those  who  have  rivers  many  thousand  miles  in  length,  the 
passage  across  the  Atlantic,  (of  3,600  miles)  appears  but  a  trifle  ;  and  tho 
American  ladies  talk  of  spending  the  winter  at  Paris  with  as  much  indif- 
ference as  one  of  our  landed  proprietors  would  of  going  up  to  London 
for  the  season. 

We  must  always  bear  in'  mind  the  peculiar  and  wonderful  advantages  of 
country,  when  we  examine  America,  and  its  form  of  government ;  for  the 
country  has  had  more  to  do  with  upholding  this  democracy  than  people 
might  at  flrst  imagine.  Among  the  advantages  of  democracy,  the  greatest 
is,  pernaps,  that  all  ttart  fair ;  and  the  boy  who  holds  the  traveller's 
horse,  as  Van  Buren  is  said  to  have  done,  may  become  the  president  of 
the  United  States.  But  it  is  the  country,  and  not  the  government,  which 
has  been  productive  of  such  rapid  strides  as  have  been  made  by  America. 
Indeed,  it  is  a  query  whether  the  form  of  government  would  have  existed 
down  to  this  day,  had  it  not  been  for  the  advantages  derived  from  the 
vast  extent  and  boundless  resources  of  the  territory  in  which  it  was  esta- 
blished. Let  the  American  direct  his  career  to  any  goal  he  pleasefl,  his 
energies  are  unshackled  ;  and,  in  the  race,  the  best  man  must  win.  There 
is  room  for  all,  and  millions  more.  Let  him  choose  his  profession — his 
career  is  not  checked  or  foiled  by  the  excess  of  those  who  have  already 
embarked  in  it.  In  every  department  there  is  an  opening  for  talent ;  and 
for  those  inclined  to  work,  work  is  always  to  be  procured.  You  have  no 
complaint  in  this  country,  that  every  profession  is  so  full  that  it  is  impos- 
sible to  know  what  to  do  with  your  children.  There  is  a  vast  (iold,  and 
all  may  receive  the  reward  due  for  their  labour. 

lo  a  country  where  the  ambition  and  energies  of  man  have  been  roused 
to  such  an  extent,  tho  great  point  is  to  finu  out  worthy  incitements  for 
ambition  to  feed  upon.  A  virtue  directed  into  a  wrong  channel  may,  by 
circumstances,  prove  little  better  than  (even  if  it  does  not  sink  down  into) 
actual  vice.  Hence  it  is  that  a  democratic  form  of  government  is  pro- 
ductive of  such  demoralizing  effects.  Its  rewards  are  few.  Honours  of 
every  description  which  stir  up  the  soul  of  man  to  noble  deeds — worthy 
incitements,  they  have  none.  The  only  compnnsation  they  can  offer  for 
services  is  money ;  and  the  only  distinction — the  only  means  of  raising 
himself  above  his  feljows  left  to  the  American — is  wealth :  consequently. 


INTBOBVOTIOir. 


tho  acquisition  of  wealth  hM  bfltomfl  the  great  apring  of  action.  Bat  it 
h  not  touffht  after  with  the  avarice  to  hoard,  but  with  the  oatflitaUon  to 
eipend.  It  ia  the  elbct  of  antbition  directed  into  a  wrong  chaiUMl.'  Xtch 
man  would  surpnsa  hia  neighbour :  and  the  only  great  avenuii  tetii  to  "* 
all,  and  into  which  thouaanda  may  preaa  without  much  joitling  oi  feaeh 
other,fis  Uiat  which  leada  to  the  shrme  of  Mammon.  It  la  our  nature  to 
attempt  to  raise  ourselves  above  our  fellow>men  ;  it  i*  the  main-spring 
of  existence— the  incitement  to  all  that  is  great  and  virtuous,  or  great 
and  vieiotti.  In  America,  but  a  small  portion  can  taiae  themaelvefi  or 
find  rewarda  for  superior  talent,  but  wealth  ia  attainable  by  all ;  and  hav- 
ing no  ariitocrary,  no  honoura,  no  distinctions  to  look  forward  to,  wealth 
has  become  the  substitute,  and,  with  very  few  exceptions,  overy  man  is 
great  in  proportion  to  his  riches.  The  consequence  is,  that  to  leave  a 
sum  of  money  when  they  die  is  of  little  importance  to  the  majority  of  the 
Americans.  Their  object  is  to  amnss  it  while  young,  and  obtain  the 
consideration  which  it  ffives  them  durinv  their  lifetime. 

The  society  in  the  United  States  is  tnat  which  must  naturally  be  ex- 
pected in  a  new  country  where  there  are  few  men  of  leiaure,  and  the 
majority  are  working  hard  to  obtain  that  wealth  which  almost  alone  gives 
importance  under  a  democratic  form  of  government.  You  will  fii^  in- 
tellectual and  gentlemanlike  people  in  America,  but  they  are  scattered 
here  and  there.  The  circle  of  society  is  not  complete  :  wherever  you 
go,  you  will  find  an  admixture,  sudden  wealth  having  admitted  those  who« . 
but  a  few  years  back  were  in  humble  circumstances  ;  and  in  the  constant 
state  of  transition  which  takes  place  in  this  country,  it  will  be  half  a  cen- 
tury, perhaps,  before  a  select  circle  of  society  can  be  collected  together 
in  any  one  city  or  place.  The  improvement  is  rapid,  but  the  vast  ex« 
tent  of  country  which  has  to  be  peopled  prevents  that  improvement  from 
being  manifest.  The  stream  flows  inland,  and  those  who  are  here  to-day 
are  gone  to-morrow,  and  their  places  in  society  filled  up«bjr  others  who 
ten  years  back  had  no  prospect  of  ever  being  admitted.  All  is  transition, 
the  waves  follow  one  another  to  the  far  west,  the  froth  and  scum  boiling 
in  the  advance. 

America  is,  indeed,  well  worthy  the  study  of  the  philosopher.  A  vast 
nation  forming,  society  ever  changing,  all  in  motion  and  activity,  nothing' 
complete,  the  old  continent  poaring  m  her  surplus  to  supply  the  loss  of 
the  eastern  states,  all  busy  as  a  hive,  full  of  energy  and  activity.  Every 
year  multitudes  swarm  off  from  the  East,  like  bees :  not  the  young  only, 
but  the  old,  quitting  the  close-built  cities,  society,  and  refinement,  to  set- 
tle down  in  some  lone  spot  in  the  vast  prairies,  where  the  rich  soil  offers 
to  them  the  certain  prospect  of  their  families  and  children  being  one  day 
possessed  of  competency  and  wealth, 

To  write  upon  America  as  a  nation  would  be  absurd,  for  nation,  pro- 
perly speaking,  it  is  not ;  but  to  consider  it  in  its  present  chaotic  state, 
is  well  worth  the  labour.  It  would  not  only  exhibit  to  the  living  a  some- 
what new  picture  of  the  human  mind,  but,  as  a  curious  page  in  the  Phi- 
losophy of  History,  it  would  hereafter  serve  as  a  subject  of  review  for  the 
Americans  themselves. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  follow  the  individualizing  plans  of  the  majority 
of  those  who  have  preceded  me  in  this  country.  1  did  not  sail  across  the 
Atlantic  to  ascertain  whether  the  Americans  eat  their  dinners  with  two- 
prong  iron,  or  three-prong  silver  forks,  with  chopsticks,  or  their  fingers  ; 
It  is  quite  su^cient  for  me  to  know  that  they  do  eat  and  drink  ;  if  they 
did  not,  it  would  be  a  curious  anomaly  which  I  should  not  pass  over.    My 


»,. 


im 


10 


INTXODITCTIOy. 


I 


object  was,  to  ezaipine  and  ascertain  tohat  were  the.  effect*  ofademderatic 
Jortn  of  g$vernmetU  arid  climate  upon  a  people  which,  vnth  ail  its  foreign 
■  (i^miiimrt,  jMy  ttill  be  cotuidered  a$  English. 
*^  Itp^^ct  that  our  virtues  and  our  vices  depend  moi'e  upon  circttm- 
staiMWii'tban  upon  ourselves,  and  there  are  no  circumstances  which  ope- 
rate 89  powerfully  upon  us  as  government  and  climate.  Let  it  not  be  sup- 
posed  tnat,  in  ^  above  assertion,  I  mean  to  extenuate  vice,  or  imply 
that  we  are  not  free  agents.  Naturally  prone  to  vices  in  general,  circum« 
stages  will  render  us  more  prone  to  one  description  of  vice  than  to  an- 
Otheir ;  but  that  is  no  reason  why  we  should  not  be  answerable  foi'  it, 
since  it  is  our  duty  to  guard  against  the  besetting  sin.  But  as  an  agent 
in  this  point,  the  form  ofgovemmentunder  which  we  live  is,  perhaps,  the 
rnost  powerful  in  its  effects,  and  thus  we  constantly  hear  of  vices  pecu* 
liar  to  a  country,  when  it  ought  rather  to  be  said,  of  vices  peculiar  to  a 
government. 

;  Never,  perhaps,  was  the  foundation  of  a  nation  laid  under  puch  pecu- 
liarly favourable  auspices  as  that  of  America.  The  capital  they  com- 
menced with  was  inaustry,  activity,  and  courairre.  They  had,  moreover, 
the  advantage  of  the  working  of  genius  and  wisdom,  and  the  records  of 
history,  as  a  beacon  and  a  guide ;  the  trial  of  ages  as  to  the  respective 
merits  of  the  various  governments  to  which  men  have  submitted ;  the 
power  to  select  the  merits  from  the  demerits  in  each ;  a  boundless  ex- 
tent of  country,  rich  in  everything  that  could  be  of  advantage  to  man ;  and 
they  were  led  by  those  who  were  really  giants  in  those  days,  a  body  of 
men  collected  and  acting  together,  forming  an  aggregate  of  wisdom  and 
energy  such  as  probably  will  not  for  centuries  be  seen  again.  Never  was 
theris  such  an  opportunity  of  testing  the  merits  of  a  republic,  of  ascertain- 
ing if  such  a  form  of  government  could  be  maintained — in  fact,  of  proving 
whether  an  enlightened  people  could  govern  thenselves.  And  it  must 
be  acknowledged  that  the  work  was  well  begun ;  Washington,  when  his 
career  had  closed,  left  this  country  a  pure  republic.  He  did  all  that  man 
could  do.  Miss  Martineau  asserts  that  "  America  has  solved  the  great 
problem,  that  a  republic  can  exist  for  fifty  years  ;"  but  such  is  not  the 
case.  America  has  proved  that  under  peculiar  advantages,  a  people 
can  govern  themselves  for  fifty  years ;  but  if  you  put  the  question  to  an 
enlightened  American,  and  aak  him,  "  Were  Washington  to  rise  from  his 
grave,  would  he  recognize  the  present  government  of  America  as  the 
one  bequeathed  to  them?'  and  the  American  will  himself  answer  in  the 
negative.  These  fifty  years  have  afforded  another  proof,  were  it  neces- 
sary, how  short-sighted  and  fallible  are  men — how  impossible  it  is  to  keep 
anything  in  a  state  of  perfection  here  below.  Washington  left  America 
as  an  infant  nation,  a  pure  and,  I  may  add,  a  virtuous  republic  ;  but  the 
government  of  the  country  has  undergone  as  much  change  as  everything 
else,  and  it  has  now  settled  down  into  anything  but  a  pure  democracy. 
Nor  could  it  be  otherwise ;  a  republic  may  be  formed  and  may  continue 
in  healthy  existence  when  regulated  by  a  small  body  of  men,  but  as  men 
increaee  and  multiply  so  do  they  deteriorate ;  the  closer  they  arc  packed 
the  more  vicious  they  b.jcome, .  and,  consequently,  the  more  vicious  be- 
come their  institutions.  Washington  and  his  coadjutors  had  no  power  to 
control  the  nature  of  man. 

It  m^y  be  inquired  by  some,  what  difference  there  is  between  a  re- 
public and  a  democmcy,  as  the  terms  have  been,  and  are  often,  used  in- 
differently. I  know  hot  whether  my  distinction  is  right,  but  I  consider 
that  when  those  possessed  of  most  talent  and  wisdom  are  selected  to  act 


■% 


f 


m 


INTRODUCTION. 


41 


in 

It  neces- 
to  keep 
LRierica 
but  the 
|erything 
locracy. 
Continue 
1  as  men 
packed 
lious  be- 
lower  to 

ri  a  re- 
used in- 
jnsider 
to  act 


I 


for  thel  benefit  of  a  people,  with  full  reliance  upon  flTeirleti^  for  the 
best,  and  without  any  shackle  or  pledge  beins  enforced,  we  i0u  eabMder  ' 
thftt  form  of  government  as  a  republic  ruled  by  the  most  eDU{^Si^n«4  find 
capable  ;  but  that  if,  on  the  contrary,  those  selected  by  the  people  to  re- 
present them  are  not  only  bound  by  pledges  previous  to  their  election, 
*-ut  ordered  by  the  mass  how  to  vote  after  their  election,  then  the  coun- 
try is  not  ruled  by  the  collected  wisdom  of  the  people,  but  by  the  majo- 
rity, who  are  as  often  wrong  as  right,  and  then  the  governing  prindpal 
sinks  into  a  democracy,  as  it  is  now  in  America.  * 
'i  It  is  singular  to  remark,  notwithstanding  her  monarchical  form  of  go- 
vernment, now  much  more  republican  England  is  in  her  institutions  than 
America.  Ask  an  American  what  he  considers  the  necessary  qualifica- 
tions of  a  president,  and,  after  intellectual  qualifications,  he  will  tell  you 
firmness,  decision,  and  undaunted  courage  ;  and  it  is  really  an  enigma  to 
him,  although  he  will  not  acknowledge  it,  how  the  sceptre  of  a  country 
like  England,  subject  to  the  monarchical  sway  which  he  detests,  can  be 
held  in  the  hand  of  a  young  female  of  eighteen  years  of  age. 

But  upon  one  point  I  have  made  up  my  mind,  which  is  that,  with  all 
its  imperfections,  democracy  is  the  form  of  government  beat  suited  to  the 
present  condition  of  America,  in  fso  far  as  it  is  the  one  under  which  the 
country  has  made,  and  will  continue  to  make,  the  most  rapid  advances. 
That  it  must  eventually  be  changed  is  true,  but  the  time  of  its  change 
must  be  determined  by  so  many  events,  hidden  in  futurity,  which  may 
accelerate  or  retard  the  convulsion,  that  it  would  be  presumptuous  for 
any  one  to  attempt  to  name  a  period  when  the  present  form  of  govern- 
ment should  be  broken  up,  and  the  multitude  shall  separate  and  re-embody 
themselves  under  new  institutions. 

>  In  the  arrangement  of  this  work,  I  have  considered  it  advisablo'^o 
present,  first,  to  the  reader  those  ^portions  of  my  diary  which  may  be  in- 
teresting, and  in  which  are  recorded  traits  and  incidents  which  will  bear 
strongly  upon  the  commentaries  I  shall  subsequently  make  upon  the  in- 
stitQtions  of  the  United  States,  and  the  results  of  those  institutions  as 
developed  in  the  American  character.  Having  bee^  preceded  by  so 
many  writers  on  America,  I  must  occasionally  tread  in  well-beaten  tracks ; 
but,  although  I  shall  civoid  repetition  as  much  as  possible,  this  will  not 
prevent  me  from  describing  what  I  saw  or  felt.  Different  ideas,  and 
different  associations  of  ideas,  will  strike  different  travellers,  as  the  same 
landscape  may  wear  a  new  appearance,  according  as  it  is  viewed  in  the 
morning,  by  noon,  or  at  night ;  the  outlines  remain  the  same,  but  the 
lights,  and  shadows,  and  tints,  are  reflected  from  the  varying  idiosyn- 
crasy of  various  minds. 

My  readers  will  also  find  many  quotations,  cither  embodied  in  the 
work  or  supplied  by  notes.  This  I  have  considered  necessary,  that  my 
opinions  may  be  corroborated  ;  but  these  quotations  will  not  be  extracted 

*  And  in  this  opinion  I  find  that  I  am  borne  out  by  an  American  writer, 
who  says — "It  is  true,  indeed,  that  the  American  government,  Ivhich,  as 
first  set  up,  was  properly  republican — that  is,  representation  in  a  course  of 
salutary  degrees,  and  with  salutary  checks  upon  the  popular  will,  on  the 
powers  of  legislation,  of  the  executive,  and  the  judiciary, — was  assailed  at 
an  early  period  of  its  history,  and  has  been  assailed  continuously  down  to 
the  present  time,  by  a  power  called  democracy,  and  that  this  powsr  has  been 
constantly  acquiring  influence  and  gaining  ascendency  in  the  republic  during 
the  term  of  its  history." — (A  Voice  from  America  to  England,  by  an  Ameri- 
can Gentleman,  page  10. 


4 


r. 


1ft  INTBODVOnON. 

MijiDacIi'kfiroin' tm  works  of  EMrlishas  from  ilmen'ean  writers.    The 
'    "stive  to  the  United  States  have  .bees{,80  conflicting  in  the 
; which  have  been'  written,  that  I  consider  it  most  imporjtftnt; 
_^_    Bhoiil^llie  able  to  quote  America^  authorities  against  themselves, 
^•treagthen  ihy  opinions  and  arguments  by  ti\eir  own  admisfions. 


'^^% 


-u-f'*'  ■ 


rli\  :'%;'* 


f'    r 


-*'      # 


V  I 


'■'/•  .'.  4iJ 


>■    ,,-4?^^.  ■'' 


r#- 


.^^•* 


:'^^ 


.-•.A 


;*1 


^DlARY  IN  :A^MERIC1^ 


^ 


w. 


CHAPTER  I*. 


I  UBX  to  biMAit^ai  the  beginning ;  it'e  tt^  good  old  iiiBhloiif  not  tuitf* 
'  "    adheiiflFto.  ifa  these  modern  times.    I  iecoUeot  a  yoong  gentle- 


iahj«rhp,i|aid  be  waa  thinking  of  going  to  Ametica ;  oi^,  my  aaunghbo, 
ho«r  h«' wten^lo  go  ?"  he  rq>Iied,  "  I  don't  ezjictly  know  ^  bat  I  thidr 
I  riiall  take thelkat  coach."  I  wished  him  a  aim  pauagi^lnd  aaid,  "I 
was  afraid  he  ^nnnild  fihd  it  Very  dtnty."  A*  I  could  not  find  the  office 
to  boek  myself  by  this  young  gentleman's  conv^ancr,  I  walked,  down  to 
St.  Katherine's  docks ;  went  on  bo&rd  a  packet ;  was  showh  into  a  su- 
perb cabin,  fitted  up  with  bird's-eye  maplje,  mahogany,  and  looking-glasses, 
and  coflsinuniiiating  with  certain  small  cabins,  where  there  was  a  sleep- 
ing berth'^r  each  passenger,  about  as  big  as  that  allowed  to  «  pointer  m 
ajiog-k^tt^.  I  thou^t  that  there  was  mw^^nery  than  comfort ;  bat 
it  ended  in 'my  promising  the  captain  to  meet  him  at  Pprtamoath.  He 
was  to  sail  from  London  on  the  1st  of  April,  and  I  did  riot  ohopse  to  sail 
on  that  day-rit  was  Ominous ;  so  I  embarked  at  Poi^tsmotath  onjthe  Sd. 
It  is  not  my  intention  to  give  a  description  of  crossing  the  Atlanoo ;  Iral 
.as  the  reader  inay  be  disappointed  if  1  do  not  tell  him  how  I  sot  over,  I 
shall  first  inform  him  that  we  were  thirty-eichtfiiiflie  cabin,  and  160  men, 
wome%and  children,  literally  stowed  in  balk  in/the  steerage.  I  shall 
desf^be  what  took  place  from  the  time  I  first  v^ent  ap  the  side  at  Spit- 
head,  antil  the  ship  was  underweigh,  and  then  mal^e  a  ve)^. short  {MU- 
sage  of  it,         ■' 

At  9,  30,  A.  M.— ^Embark^ed  jh  board  the  good  ship,  Qaebec  ;  and  a 
good  ship  she  proved  to  be^  repeatedly  going  nine  and  a-half  knots  on  a 
bowling,  sails  lifting.  Captdfa  H.  quite  delisted  to  see  me— all  captains 
of  packeta  are  to  see  passi^ers :  I  believed  him  when  he  said  so. 

At  9,  60.— Sheriff's  offictt,  as  usual,  came  on  board.  Observed  ^several 
of  the  cabin  passengers  hasten  dpwn  below,  and  one  who  requested  the 
captain  to  stow  him  awa^.  But  it  was  not  a  pen-and-ink  affaur }  it  was 
a  case  of  burglary.  The  officer  has  fotind  his  man  in  the  steerage — the 
hand-cuffs  are  on  his  wrists,  and  they  are  rowing  him  ashore.  His  wife 
and  two  children  are  on  boq^ ;  her  lips  quiver  as  she  collects  her  bag- 
gage to  follow  her  husband.  One  half4iour  more,  and  he  would  have 
escaped  from  justice,  and  probably  have  led  a  better  life  in  a  far  fountiy, 
where  his  crimes- were  tmknown.  Bv  the  by,  Gieenacre,  the  man  who 
cut  the  woman  Up,  was  taken  oijt  of  the  ship  as  she  yrent  down,  the  river : 
he  had  very  nearly  escaped.^  What  cargoes  of  crime,  folly,  and  reckless- 
ness do  we  yearly  ship  off  to  America !  America  ought  to  bo  very  moeh 
■oblwed  to  us. 

The  women  of  the  steerage  are  persuading  the  wife  of  the  ba^HMiot 
io  go  on  shore ;  their  arguments  are  strong,  but  not  strong  enough  aj^nst 
»  2 


f  .ti 


ii» 


't ", 


4    , 


u 


buKY  tir  AinencJi. 


the  devoted  love  of  a  woman. — "Your' husband, is  certafo  to  be  han^t 
will's  the.tfie  of  folloWing  him?  Your  passage  is  jpaid,  and  you  will 
M^e  no  difficulty  ip  supporting  your  children  in  America."  But  she  te* 
Jeets  the  a^Nriee—go^s  doi^  the  side,  and  presses  ^er  children  to  Her 
llnreast,  as,  overcome  -with  the  agony  of  her  feelings,  she  drops  into  the 
boat  J  ana,  now  that  she  is  away  from  the  ship,  you  hear,  the,  sobs,  whiph 
can  no  longer  be  controlled. 
,,^10,  A.  M.-T"Allhand8  up  anchori*'  * 

'  I  was  r4>eating  to  myself  some  of  the  stanzas  of  Mrs.  Norta|}V~"Here*» 
a  health  to  the  outward-bound,"  when  I  dast  m^  eyes  {(fVmiA  I  could 
not  imagine  what  the  seamen  wore  about ;  they  appeared 'Id^imminn^, 
'  instead  of  heaving,  at  the 'windlass.  I  forced  my  yiaf  through  the  hete- 
rogeneoys  mixture  of  hum%p  beings,  animals,  and  l^gage  w!hich  crowd- 
ed the  decks,  and  discovered  that  they  were  working  a  patent  windfai8(|. 
}if  Dpbbinson — a  very  ingenious  and  superior  invention.-  The  si^^men, 
■as  usual,  lightened  tneir«^labour  with  the  songf  and  chorus,  forbidden  l^ 
the  etiquette  of  a  m|Q-of-war;  The  one  they  sung  was  partioiSlarfy 
musical,  attHough  not^eiined;  and  the  chorus  of  **0h1  Sally  Brown," 
vras  given  with  greit  emphasis  by  the  whole  ereW  between  every  line  of 
the  song,  sung  by'an  Mhletic  young  third  mate.  I  took  my  seat  on  the 
kiiigi^t-heads-^turned  my  face  aft>->-looked  and  listened. 

"Keave  away  there,  fo^ard." 

•^Ay,  ay,  sit." 

« <  Sally  Brown— oh !  my  dear  Sally.' "  (Single  voice.) 

♦•'Oh!  Sally  Brown.' "(Chorus.)  _ 

"*  Sally  Brown,  of  Buble  Al-ley.'"  (Single  voice.) 

•" Oh {  Sal-ly  Brown.'"  (Chorus.) 
^  <•  A-^diist  heaving  there ;  send  all  aft  to  clear  the  boat." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,     Where  are  we  to  stow  these  casks, Mr.  Fisher!" 

"Stow  them!  Heaven  knows  ;  get  them  in,  at  all  events." 

"  Captain  H. !  Captain  H. !  there^s  my  piano  still  on  deck ;  it  will  be 
quite  spoiled — indeed  it  will." 

"  Don't  be  alarmed,  ma'am ;  as  soon  as  we're  under  weigh  we'll  hoist 
the  cow  up,  and  get  the  piano  down. 

«« What !  under  the  cow  r» 

."No,  ma'am;  but  the  cow's  oyer  thk hatchway." 

"  Now,  then,  Hff  lads,  forward  to  the  Windlass." 

"  •  I  went  to  town  to  get  some  toddy.' "  -■'^^  '    , 

"•Oh!  Bally  Brown."  ^ 

♦•  •  T'wasn't  fit  for  any  body.' " 

"•Oh!  Sally  Brown.'"— 
'  «  Out  there,  and  clear  away  the  jib."  * 

•  "  Ay,  ay,  sir." 

"  Mr.  Fisher,  how  much  cable  is  there  out  I" 
■**  Plenty  yet,  sir. — Heave  away,  my  lads," 

"•  Sally  IS  a  bright  mulattar.' "       > 

•••Oh!  Sally  Brown.'" 

♦'•  •  Pretty  girl,  but  can't  get  at  her.' " 

«««0h!- '"—     .  ; 

"Avast  heaving ;  send  the  men  aft  to  whip  the  ladies  in. — Now,  miss, 
only  sit  down  and  don't  be  afraid,  and  you'll  be  in,  in  no  time. — Whip 
away,  my  lads,  handsomely;  steady  her  with  the  guy;,  lower  away  .-^ 
Thwe,  miss,  now  you  are  safely  lamei." 

"LaTtded  am  II    I  thought  I  was ahippei.** 


SI^KY  IK,  AXHIOA« 


16 


H  Yety  good,  indeedr-very  good,  miss ;  you'U  make-  an  excellent 
sailor,  I  aee." 

"  I  should  make  a  better  sailor's  teife,  I  expect,  Captain  H." 

*'  Excellent  I  Allow  pie  to  haM  you  aft ;  you'll  exCtise  me.--Forward 
noytr,  my  inon ;  heave  away  1"  ^^  • 

'     "•  Seven  years  I  courted  Sally.'"     .  » 

«« Oh!  Sally  Brown.'^'  ^ 

'* '  Seven  more  of  shilley-shalley.'  '*  ' 

"•  Ob^^ J  Sally  Brown.' "  . 

" '  She  wBnJt  wed -"'t-' 

"  Avast  heaving.  Up  there,  ^nd  Ioo«»  the  topsails ;  stretch  along  the 
topsail-flheet8.-^Upon  my  soul,  half  these  children  will- he  killed.-^  Whose 
child  are  you !'' 

"I-i-don't^-^mow."  1$ 

;,.  *'€<>  and  find  out,  that's  a. dear. — Let  fall;  sheet  home;  belaytiMr>' 
board  sheet;  dap  on  the  larboard;  belay  all  that. — Now,  then»  Mr. 
Vishair,"         ' 

^•Ay,  ay,  sir. — Heave  away,  my  lads."  ^  - 

" '  She  yron't  wed  a  Yankee  sailor.'  "> 

"•Qh!  Sally  Brown.'"  ^        , 

"  fFor  she's  in  love  with  the  nigger  tailoor.*"       ,  • 

«'*0h!   Sally  Brown.'"—  ' 

'"  Heave  away,  my  men;  heave,  and  in  sight.    Hurrah  t  my  lads." 

•'  *  Sally  Brown — oh !  my  dear  Sally  I' " 
^    '"  Oh  ffSally  Brown  I' " 

«"SallyBrowh,  of  Buble alley.'"    ,, 
•    "«0h!  Sally  Brown.*'  '  ,     ' 

'^ '  Sally  has  a  cross  old  granny."* 

"«0h!-— '"^—  ' 

"  Heave  and  fall^jibrhalyards— hoist  away.'^ 

"Oh!  dear— Oh  1  dear,"  * 

"  The  clumsy  brute  has  half-killed  the  girl  -^Doii't  cry,  my  dear." 

"  Pick  up  the  ohild,  Tom,  add  shove  it  out  of  the  way." 

M  Where  shall  I  put  her  f" 

**  Oh,  any  where  just  nov<r ;  put  h^r  on  the  turkey-coop."" 

"Starboard!"  ' 

,  "  I  say,  clap  on,  som^  of  you  he  chaps,  or  else  get  oiit  6f  the  way." 
("  Sailor,  innid  my  bandrtiox.^' 

«*  Starboard!"  ^ 

"  Starboard  it  is ;  steady  so." 

Thus,  with  the  trifiing  matter  of  maiming  half  a  dozen  children,  up- 
setting two  or  three  women,  smashing  the  lids  of  a.  few  trunks^  and  crusn- 
ing  some  band-boxes  as  flat  as  a  muffin,  the  good  ship  Quebec  was  at 
ladt  fahrly  underweigh,  and  standing  out  ^r  St.  Helen's.  ' 

3  p.  M. — Off  St.  Helen's;  abip  steady;  little  wind;  Water  smod^; 
passengers  sure  they  won't  be  si^. 

3,  30. — Apologies  from  the  captain  for  a  cold  dinner  on  this  day. 

4  o'clock.-^Dinner  over;  every  body  pulls  out  a  number  of  "Pick- 
wick ;"  every  body  talks  apd  reads  Pickwick ;  weather  getting  up  squally ; 
passengers  not  quite  so  sure  they  won't  be  sea-sick. 

Who  can  tell  what  the  morrow  may  bring  forth  1  It  brought  forth  a 
heavy  sea,  and  the  passengers  were  quite  sure  that  they  were  sea-sick. 
Only  six  out  of  thirty-eight  made  their  appearance  at  the  breakfast-table ; 
and,  for  many  days  afterward,  there  wCre  Pickwicks  in  plenty  strewed 
ell  over  the  cabin,  but  passengers  were  very  scarce. 


■* 


l«i 


OlASr  IK  AWMIOA. 


Bat  we  had  more  than  eea^sickness  to  contend  with— the  uifluenza 
broke  oat  and  raged.  Does  not  this  prove  that  H  is  contagions,  and  not 
dependant  on  the  atntospherik  1  It  was  Jisrd,  aflier  havina;  sniffled  with  it 
hi  six  weeks  on  shore,  that  I  should  have  another  nlonth  of  it  on  bdard. 
But  whd  can  control  destiny  1  The  ship  was  like  a  hospital ;  an  elderly 
woman  wa^  the  first  victim — then  a  boy  of  tw^jlve  years  of  age.  For* 
tunately,  there  were  no  more  deaths. 

Bat  I  have  said  enoiig^  of  the  passwe.  On  the  4th  of  May,  in  the 
year  of  oar  Lord,^  1837, 1  found  mysolf  walking  up  Broadway,  among 
the  free  and  enlightened  citizens  of  New  York. 

CHAPTBR  11.^ 

A  VISIT,  to  make  it  «igreea1>le  to  both  pfrties,  should  be  well  timed. 
My  appoarahee  at  New  ITotk  was  very  much  like  bursting  into  a  iViend's 
house  with  a  merry  face'  vrhon  there  is  a  death  in  it — With  the  sudden 
change  from  levity  to  condolence.  '<  Any  other  time-  most  happy  to  see 
you.    You  find  us  in  a  very  unfortunate  situation." 

'*  Indeed  I'm  very — ^very  sorry." 

Two  hundred  and  sixty  houses  have  already  failed,  and  no  on4  knows 
where  it  is  to 'end.  Suspicion,  fear,  and  misfortune  have  taken  posses- 
sion of  the  city.  '  Had  I  hot  been  aware  of  the  caas^,.I  should  have  ima- 
g'ned  that  the  plague  was  raging^  and  I  had  the  description  of  Defoe  he- 
re me.  • 

Not  a  smile  on  one  countenance  among  the  crowd  who  pass  and  re- 

Eus  ;  hurried  steps,  care-worn  faces,  rapid  exchanges  of  salutation,  or 
asty  communication  of  anticipated  ruin  before  the  sun  goes  down. .  Here 
two  or  three  are  gathered  on  one  side,  whispering  and  watching  that  they 
are  not  .overheard;  there  a  solitary,  with  his  arms  folded  and  his  hat 
slouched,  brooding  over  departed  affluence.  Mechanics,  thrown  out  of 
employment,  are  pacing  up  and  down  with  the  air  of  famished  wolves. 
The  violent  shockhas  been  communicated,  like  that  of  electricity,  through 
the  country  to  a  distance  of  hundreds  of  miles.  Canals,  railtjuads,  and 
all  public  works,  have  been  discontinued,  and  the  Irish  emigrant  leans 
against  his  shanty.  With  his  spade  idle  in  his  hand,  and  starves,  ..as  his 
thoughts  wander  back  to  his  own  Emerald  Isle. 

Tne  Amerieans  delight  in  the  hyperbol(» ;  in  fact  they  hardly  have  a 
metaphor  without  it.  During  this  crash,  when  every  day  fifteen  or  twen- 
ty merchants*  names  appeared  in  the  newspapers  as  bankrupts,  one  party, 
not  in  a  very,  good  humour,  was  hastening  down  Broadway,  when  ho  was 
run  against  by  another,  whose  temper  was  equally  unamiable.  This  col- 
lision roused  the  choler  of  both. 

'*  What  the  devil  do  you  mean,  sir  1"  cried  one ;  **  Pve  a  great  mind 
io\uiockyo\xnAo  tke,ri\iddle  of  next  tmeV^ 

This  occurring  on  a  Saturday,  the  w|a(h  of  the  other  was  checked  by 
the  recollection  of  how  very  favourable 'iiueh  a  blow  would  be  to  his  pre^* 
sent  circumstanres. 

''Will  yout  by  heavens,  then  pray  do  ;  it's  just  the  thing  I  want,  for 
how  else  I  am  to  get  over  next  Monday  and  the  acceptances  I  must 
take  up,  \»  more  than  I  can  tell." 

All  the  banks  have  stopped  payment  in  specie,  and  there  is  not  a  dollar 
to  be  hdUI.    I  walked  dovm  Wall-street,  and  had  a  convincing  proof  of 
thegreat  demand  for  money,  for  somebody  picked  my  pocket.. 
Ihe  militia  are  under  arms,  as  riots  are  expected.    The  banks  in  the 


ijiiiiriiwiiisi'ii 


'''f^tai 


BUST  IN  AMIBICA. 


17 


•oqntry  and  other  towns  hsTO  followed  the  ezin)ple  of  New  York,  and 
thus  has  Gisneral  Jackson's  currency  bill  been  repeal^  without  the  aid  of 
conffr'ess.  Affairs  are  how  at  their  worst,  ^nd  now  that  such  is  the  case, 
the  New  Yorkers  appear.to  recover  their  spirits^  6ne  of  the  n«i||||»i>ers 
humorously  observes — "All  Broadway  is.  like  unto  a  new-n>ad»'triaow, 
and  don't  know  whether  to  Jiaugh  or  cry."  ,  There  certainly  is  a  very 
remarltable  energy  in  the  Amerksn  disposition  ;  if  they  fall,  they  bound 
up  agaiii.  Somebody  has  observed  that  the  Ntfw  york  merchants,  are  oC 
that  eUutic  nature,  that,  when  fit  for  nothing  elsis,  they  might  be  converted 
into  coach  aprings,  and  such  really  appears  to  be  their  clwracter. 

Nobody  refuses  to  take  the  papfK  of  the  New  York  banks,  althou^ 
th^y  virtually  have  stopped  jBaym«rqt ;— they  never  refuse  anything  m 
New  York  ; — but  noboay  will  givo.jspecie  in. change,  and  great  distress 
is  occasioned  by  this  want,  of  a.«iircula.ting  medium.  Some  of  the  shop- 
keepers  told  nie  that  they  had  been  obliged  to  turn'  away  a  hundred  dol- 
lars a-day,  and  many  a  southerner,  who  has  come  up  with  a  large  sup- 
ply of  southern  notes,  has  found  himself  a  pauper,  and  has  been  indebted 
to  afii^nd'for  a  few  dollars  in  specie  to  get  heme  again. 

The  radicals  here,  for  there,are  radicals^  it  appears,^  in  a  democracy-- 

"  In  the  lowest  depth,  8  lower  deep"—  .       ' 

are  very  loud  in  their  complaints.  I  was-  watching,  the  swarming  multi- 
tude in  Wall-street  this  morning,  when  one  of  these  fellows  was  de- 
claiming against  the  banks  for  stopping  specie  payments,  and  "  robbinff  ar 
poor  man  in  such  a  willanous  manner,"  when  one  of  the  merchants,  woo- 
appeared  to  know  his  custoroeri  said  t&him — "  Well,  as  you  qay,  it  is 
hard  -for  a  poor  fellow  like  you  net  to  be  able  to  get  dollars  for  his  notes ; 
hand  them  out,  and  I'll  give  you  specie  foi'  them  myself!"  The  black- 
guard had  not  a  cent  in  his  pocket,  and  walked  away  looking  very  fool- 
ish. He  reminded  me  of  a  little  chimney-sweeper  at  the  Tower  Ham- 
lets election,  asking — "  Vot  vos  my  hopinions  about  primaginitur  I- — a 
very  importifnt  p9int  to  him  certainly,  he  having  no  parents,  and  having 
been  brought  up  by  the  parish. 

I  was  in  a  store  when  a  thorough-bred  democrat  walked  in  :  he  talked 
lend,  and  voluntarily  gave  it  as  his'  opinion  that  all  this  distress  was  the 
very  best  thing  that  could  have  happened  to  the  country,  as  Aiperioa 
would  now  keep  all  the  specie  an^  pay  her  English  creditors  with  bank- 
ruptcies. There  always  appears  to  me  to  be  a  great  want  of  moral  prin>> 
ciple  in  all  radicals';  indeed,  the  levelling  principles  of  radicalism  are  ad- 
verse to  the  sacred  rights  of  meum  et  tuutn.  At  Philadelphia  the  ultra- 
democrats  have  held  a  large  public  meeting,  at  wjiich  one  of  the  first, 
resolutions  brought  forward  and  agreed  to  was — <*  That  they  did  not  owe^ 
one  fahhing  to  the  English  people.'" 

V  They  may  ivy  the  times  axe  had^"  said'  a  youns  Amerieu)  to  rae». 
**  but  I  think  that  they  are  excellent.  A  twenty  dollar  note  used  to  last 
me  but  a  week,  but  now  it  is  as  good  as  Fortunatus'  purse,  which  was^ 
never  empty.  I  eat  my  dinner  at  the  hotel,  and  show  them  ^y  twenty 
dollar  note.  The  landlord  turns  away  boijn  it,  as  if  it  were  the  head  of 
Medusa,  and  begs  that  I  will  pay  another  time.  I  buy  everything  that  I 
want,  and  I  have  only  to  offer  my  twenty  dollar  note  in  payment,  and  my 
credit  is  unbounded — that  is,  for  any  sum  under  twenty  dollars.  If  they 
ever  do  give  change  agaia  in  New  York  it  will  make  a  veiy  unfortunate 
change  in  my  affairs.  , 

■    S*      •    ■ 


'#v 


;;?'i'' 


1^ 


tutr  nt  AMiiioi.' 


A  gOTemmmt  eircalar,  enfiNrcing  the  aef  of  QOngres»i  whicli  o^IigeH 
aH  thoM  who  have  to  pay  euitooL-houie  duties  or  |M>8t8ge  to  do  .ao  in 
•lieciehkM  created  {preat  di>nti$fac!tion,  and  added  much  to  the  diatreaa 
am  diSalty.  At  tHb  aame  thne  that  they  (the  government)  refuse  to 
take  frral"  their  debtors  the  notes  of  the  banlis,  upon  the  ground  that  they 
"aire  no  longeflesal  tenders,  they  compeKtbiit,«rediton  to  take  those  very 
iMtes-^aving  had  ajarge  quantity  m  thev  .possession  at  the  time  that 
the  banks  suspended  specif  payments— an  act  of  despotism  which  the 
ISnglish  sovemm^nt  would  not  venture  upon. 

Miss  Martineau's  work  is  before  me.  How  dangerous  it  is  to  pro- 
phecy. Speaking  of  the  merchapts  of  New  York,  and  their  recovering 
after  the  heavy  losses  they  sustained  by  the  calamitous  fire  of  183A,  she 
aaya,  that  although  eighteen,  millions  of  propefty  were  destroyed,  not  one 
merchant  failed  ;  and^ahe  continuea,  "  It  seems  now  as  if  the  commer- 
cial credit  of  iNew  York  coiltd  stand  any  shock  short  of  an  earthquake 
Tike  that  of  Lisbon."  That  Wu  the  prophecy  of  1886.  Where  is  the 
commercial  credit  of  New  York  now  in  18^7  ? ! ! ! 

The  distress  for  change  has  produced  a  curious  remedy.  E^ery  man 
is  now  his  own  banker.  Go  to  the  theatres  and  places  of  public  amuse- 
ment, and,  instead  of  change,  you  receive  an  t.  O.  U.  from  the  treasury. 
At  theliotels  and  oyster-cellars  it  is  the  same  thing.  Call  for  a  glass  of 
brandy  and  water  and  the  change  is  fifteen  tickets,  each  "good  for  one 
giaaa.of  brandy  and  water."  At  an  oyster  shop,  eat  a  plate  of  oysters, 
and  yott  have  m  tetMtn  seven  f  ickete,  good  for  one  plate  of  oysters  each. 
It  is  Uie  same  everywhere. — ^The  barbers  give  you  tickets,  good  for  so 
many  shave* ;  and  were  there  beggars  in  the  streets,  I  presume  they 
Would  give  you  tickets  in  change,  good  for  so  much  philanthropy.  Deal- 
ers, in  general j  give  out  their  own  bank-notes,  or  as  they  are  called  here, 
flUnoptasters,  which  are  good  for  one  dollar,  and  from  that  down  to  two 
and  a-half  ceiits,  all  of  wnieh  are  redeemable,  and  redeemable  only  upon 
a  ffeneral  return  to  cash  payments. 

ilence  arises  another  variety  of  exchange  in  Wall  street. 

•'Tom,  do  you  want  any  oysters  for  lunch  to-day  1" 
i    "YesV  V 

"  Then  here's  a  ticket,  and  give  me  two  shavea  in  return." 

The  most  prominent  causes  of  this  convulsion  ha^e  alr'eadyv  been  layl 
before  ihe  English  public  ;  but  there  is  one — that  of  speculating  in  land-^ 
which  has  not  been  suflHoiently  dwelt  upon,  nor  has  th,e  importance  ,been 
given  to  it  which  it  detorves ;  as  perhaps,  next  to  the  losses  occasioned 
by  the  great.fire,  it  led,  more  than  any  other  species  of  over- speculation 
and  over-trading,  to  the  distress  whi6h  has  ensued.  Not  but  that  the 
event  must  have  taken  place  in  the  natural  course  of  things.  Cash  pay- 
ments prod\ice  sure  but  small  returns ;  but  no  commerce  can  hie  carried 
on  by  this  means  on  any  extended  scale.  Cr^it,  as  long  as  it  is  good,  is 
so  miich  extra  capital,  in  itself  nominal  and  non-existent,' but  producing 
real 'returns.  If  any  one  will  look  back  upon  the  commercial  history  of 
.  -these  last  fifty  years,  he  v/ill  perceive  that  the  system  of  credit  is  always 
attended  with  a  periodical  Mete  up ;  in  England,  perhaps,  once  in  twenty 
years ;  in  America j  once  in  from  seven  to  ten.  This  arises  from  their 
being  no  safety  yalve — no  check  which  can  be  put  to  it  by  mutual  consent 
of  all  partief.  One  house  extends  its  credit,  and  for  a  time,  its  profits ; 
another  f<^|pw«  the  example.  The  facility  of  credit  induces  those  who 
obtain  it  to  embark  in  other  speculations,  foreign  to  their  business ;  for 
.credit  thus  becomes  extra  capital  which  they  do  not  know  how  to  employ. 


aim 


''^ 


Duitiir  AMMtOi. 


If 


Sttch  hat  been  the  Mse  in  the  preient  instance :  butthie  it  no  reason  for 
the  credit  sjatemjiot  being  eontinned.  These  occasional  izplosiOne  act 
ap  wamingi),  and,  for  the  time,  people  are  n^ore  cfntions :  they  atop  for  a  . 
while  to  repair  dstmagea,  and  recover  from  |h^r  conaternatbn ;  M^h«n 
they 'go  ahead  again,  it  is  not  duit«80  fast.  The  loss  is  severely  Mlt  be* 
cause  people. are  not  pi:epat#i|^  nieet  it ;  bat  if  all  the  profttb  of  th0 
years  of  healthy  credit  werJc  wafd  up,  and  the  balance>sheet  struck  be- 
tween that  an4  the  loss  at  the  explosion,  the  advantage  sained  by  thtf 
.credit  system  would  still' be  found  tb  be  great.  The  advancement  of 
America  depends  wholly  upon  it.  It  is  by  credit  alone  that  she  has  made 
such  rapid  strides,  and  it  is  by  credit  abne  that  she  can  continue  to^ou* 
rish,  at  the  same  time  that  she^  enriches  those  who  trade  with  her.  In ' 
this  latter  crisis  there  was  more  blame  to  be  attached  to  the  Englirii 
houses,  who  forced  their  credit  upon  the  Americans,  than  to  thd  Ameri- 
cans, who,  having  such  unlimited  credit,  thought  that  thtey  might  advan- 
tageoualv  speculate  i)v^th  the  capital  of  others.    ^ 

One  or  the  most  singular  afiections  of  the  human  mind  is  a  pronenese 
to  ej^eessive  speculation  ;  and  it  may  here  be  noticed  that  the  disease  (for 
siiph  it  niinr  be  termed)  is  peculiarly  English  and  Americao.  Men,  in 
their  race  for  gain,  appear  like  horses  that  have  run  away,  to  have  been 
blinded  by  th0  rapidity  of  their  own  motion.  It  alAiost  amounts  to  an  epi- 
deraic,  and  is  infectious-^the  wise  aud  the  foolish  beinff  equally  liable  to 
the  disease.  We  h^d  ample  evidence  of  this  in  the  buoble-maniM  which 
took  place  in  England  in  the  years  1825  and  1826.  A  mania  ofthikkind 
had  infected  the  people  of  America  for  two,er  three  years  previoiis  to  the** 
crash:  it  was  that  of  speculating  in  land;  and  to  show  the  extent  to 
which  it  had  been  carried  on,  we  may  take  the  following  examples  :— 

The  city  of  New  York,  which  is  built  upon  a  narrow  island  about  te» 
miles  in  length,  at  present  covers  about  three  miles  of  that  distance^  HfiA 
haa  a  population  of  three  hundred  thousand  inhabitants.  'BuldJng'Iots 
were  marked  out  for  the  other  s^ven  miles;  and,  by  caldolation,  these 
lots  when  built  upon,  would  contain  an  addittoual  population  of  one  mil- 
lion and  three  quarters.  They  were  first  purchased  at'from  one  hundred 
to  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  each,  but,  as  the  epideinic  raged,  they 
rose  to  upwards  of  two  thousand  dollars.  At  Brooklyn,  on  Long  Islandf, 
opposite  to  ^ew  York,  and  about  half  a  mile  distant  from  it,  lots  were 
marked  o.ut  to  th^  extent  of  fourteen  miles,  which  would  contain  an  eskii 
population  of  one  jnillion,  and  these  were  as  eagerly  speculated  in. 

At  Staten  Island,  at  tho  entrance  into  the  Sound,  an  estate  was  pur- 
chased by  some  speculators  for  ten  thousand  dollars,  was  divided  into 
lots  and  planned  as  a  town  to  be  called  New  Brighton;  and  had  the 
whole  of  the  lots  been  sold  at  the  price  which  many  were,  previous  to 
the  crash,  the  original  speculators  would'  have  realized  three- millions  bf 
dollars.  But  the  infatuation  was  nOt  confined  to  the  precincts  of  New 
York :  everywhere  it  existed.  Qovemment  lands,  which  could  only  be 
paid  for  in  specie,  were  eagerly  soueht^after ;  plans  of  new  towiis  were 
puffed  up ;  drawings  made  in  which  every  street  was  laid  down  and 
nained  ;  churches,  theatres,  hospitals,  railroad  communications,  canals, 
steam-boats  in  the  offing,  all  appeared  on  paper  as  if  in  actual  existence, 
when,  in  fact,  the  very  site  was  as  yet  a  forest,  with  not  a  log  hut  within 
a  mile  of  ^the  pretended  city.  Lots'  in  these  vi8i<Mditry  cities  were 
eagerly  purchased,  increased  daily  in'  value,  and  s^orded  a  fine  harvest 
to  those  who  took  advantage  of  the  credulity  of  others.  One  man  would 
buy  a  lot  with  jsxtensive  water  jnivileges,  and,  upon  going  to  ex- 


M 


DUIY  IM  AMfllOA. 


I 


1 1 


I*  H 


( 


unina  it,  would  find  tboija  jpg'vtHuftt  nthtr  too  eitonsivo,  the  whole  Id^ 
being  vnitr  viatfr.  ISven  aAor  the  eneiii  there  wm  a  men  etill  goiog 
about  who  made  a  good  livelihood  by  eetting  up  Ilia  plan  of  a  city,  the 
lota  of  which  he  lola  bv  pamo  auction,  on  condition  of  one  dollar  being 
paid  'OTwn  to  aecurt  the  purchaae  if  lU^v^d  of.    The  mania  had  not 

?ret  subeided,  and  many  paid  down  then^dollar  upon  their  purchase  of  a 
ot..   Thia  waa  all  h&  required.    He  wentlo  the  next  town,'  and  aold  the 
aame  lota  over  and  vm  again. 

To  check  thi«  nudnesa  of  speculation,  waa  one  reason  why  an  act  of 
congresi  waa  passed,  obliging  all  purchasers  of  goven^ment  lands  to 
pay  in  specie.  Nevertheless,  sovernment'received  nine  or  ten  millions 
vH  specie  after  the  bill  passed.  rTow,  wheq  it  ie  considered  what  a  large 
portion  of  the  capital  drawn  (rom  Englahd .  was  applied  to  these  wild 
speculations— sums  which,  when  they  were  requirea,  could  not  be  realiz- 
ed, as,  when  the  crisis  occurred,  property  thus  purchased  immediately 
fell  to  about  onis-tenth  if  what  was  paid  fox  it— it  will  he  clearly  se^n 
that,  from  this  unfortunate  mania,  a  great  portioA  of  the  {/resent  distress 
must  haye^arisen. 

The  attempt  of  General  Jackson  and  his  successors,  to  introdufce^a 
specie  conency  into  a  country  which  exists  upon  credit,  was  an  act  of 
folly,  and  has  ended  in  complete  failure.*  A  few  weeka  after  he  had 
issued  frotn  the  mint  a  large  coinage  of  gold,  there  was  hardly  ah  eagle 
to  be  seen,  and  the  metal  mi^  almoat  as  well  have  remained  in  uio 
mine  from  whence  it  had  beeh  extracted.  It  was  still  in  the  country. 
l)Ut  had  all  been  absorbed  by  the  agriculturaliata  ;  and  auch  will  ever  be 
the  case  in  a  widely  extended  Mricultural  counti^.  This  farmers,  prin- . 
cipally  Dutch,  Uve  upon  a  poruon  of  their  produce  and  aell  the  rest. 
Formerly  thw.were  content  with  bank  bills  or  Mexican  dollars,  which 
they  laid  by  for  a  rainy  day,  and  they  remained  locked  up  for  years  bor 
fore  -they  were  required.  When  the  gold  was  issued,  it  was  eagerly 
collected  by  these  people,  as  more  convenient,  and  laid  by,  by  the  farm- 
ers' wives,  in  the  foot  of  an  old  worsted  stocking,  where  the:  major  part 
of  it  will  remain,  ^  And  thus  has  the  famous  gold-cunency  bill  been  up- 
set by  the  hoarding  propensities  of  a  parcel  of  old  women,  t 

CHAPTER  m. 
FivTY  years  ago,  New  Yorl^was  Uttle  more  than  a  village ;  now.  ie 
is  a  fine  city  with  three  hundred  thousand  inhabitants.     I  Hate  never 
seen  any  city  so'  admirably  adapted  for  c6mmerce.    It  is  built  upon  a 

*  One  single  proof  msy.be  ^ven  of  the  ruinous  policy  of  the  Jackson  td- 
ministration  m  teinpori:<;ing  with  the  credit  of  the  country.  To  check  the 
ejqwrt  of  bullion  from  our  country,  tiie  Bank  of  England  had  but  one  remedy, 
that  of  rendering  money  scarce.  They  contracted  their  issues,  and  it  be- 
came so.  The  consequence  was^^that  the  price  of  cotton  fell  forty  dollars 
per  bale.  The  crop  of  cotton  amounted  to  1,600,000  bales,  which,  at  forty 
dollars  per  bale,  was  a  loss  to  the  southern  planters  of  64,000,000^dollars. 

Y  A  curious  proof  of  this  system  of  hoardine,  which  immediately  took 
place  upon  the  banks  stopping  payment,  was  told  me  by  a  gentleman  from 
BaltiAiore.  He  went  into  a  storb  to  purchase,  as  he  often  had  done,  a  can- 
vass shot-bag,  and  to  his  surprise  was  asked  three  times  the  former  price  for 
it.  Upon  his  exp^atulating,  the  venders  told  him,  that  the  demand  for  th«m.. 
by  the- farmers  add  other  people  who  brought  their  produce  to  market,  and 
who  used  them  to  put  their  specie  in,  was  so  great  that  they  could  hardly; 
supply  them. 


I 


lib 


OliBT  M  AMIIIOA. 


tl 


ntnow  iaUnd,  between  LoQg  liriand  Sound  And  the  Hndaen  Bitwt,  Brokd- 
way  ronning  up  it  like  the  ▼•rfebr*  of  (one  ho^ge  Munutl,  and  the  otber 
•treete  divening  from  it  at  right  anglae^  like  the  ribs  i'eabh  street  ron- 
nina.  to.  the  river,  and  presenting  to'the  jrww'  a  fnteat  of  aasle. 
^liiere  are  aome  fine  buildttl/  in  thip  city,  but  not  inany.  Aator 
Houae,  altheoah  of  aimple  aMlMicture,  is,  peniapa,  (he  grandest  aaaa } 
and  next  to  Uut  ia  the  City  HmD,  though  in  architecture  vary  iiidifie* 
rent.  Inthe  lar^^e  room  of  the  latter  are  aome  int^reatwg  picturea  wd 
bu'ata  of  the  preaidenta,  mayora  of  the  city,  and  naval  and  aailitary  offi» 
Oera,  who  have  received  the  thanka  of  congre^,  and  the  Areedom  of 
the^city.  Some  are  very  fair  specimens  of  art':>the  inoat  apirited  ia  that 
of  Commodore  Perry,  leaving  hie  aiitking  veaael,  in  the  combat  en  the 
Lakea,  to  hoiat  hia  flaa  on  bpard  of  another  ahip.  Decatui'a  portrait  ia 
also  very  fine.  Pity  that  auch  a.mui  ahoukl  have  been  aacrinoed.in  a 
fooliali  dud.  -.C'  ' 

At  the  corner  of  many  of  the  at^uarea,  or  &{oeilr«ef  boitdinga  aa  they  ate 
termed  here,  ia  erected  a  very  high  maat,  with  a  cap  Of  liberty  upon  the 
top.  The  only  idea  we  have  of  the  cap  of  liberty  is,  the  (onnal  rouge  of 
the  French ;  but  the  Americans  will  not  copy  the  French,  although  the^ 
will  the  English;  so  they  have' a  cap  of  their  own,  which  (begging  their 
pardian,)  with  its  gaudy  colours  and  gilding,  Ipdcs  more  lik^  a  Jowa  cap 
than  anything  else. 

New  York  is  not  equal  to  London,  nor  Broadway  to  Regent-street, 
although  the  Americana  woukl  compare  them..  Still,  New  York  ia  very 
superior  to  most  of  our  provincial  towns,  and  to  a  man  who  can  exisf^ 
uut  of  London,  Broadway  will  do  very  well  for  a  lounge— being  wide^ 
three  miiea  long,  and  the  upper  part  composed  of  very  handaomei  nouaea ; 
beaidea  Which,  it  may  almoat  challenge  Regent-street  for  pretiy  faces^ 
except  on  Sundays.*  Many  of  the  shops,  or  «fwe«,.as  they  are  here 
called,  (for  in  this  land  of  equality  nobody  keeps  u  shou,)  have  already 
been  fitted  up  with  large  pl^te-glass' fronts,  similar  to  those  in  London, 
and  but  for  the  depression  which  has  tuen  place,  many  more  would 
have  followed  the  example. 

Among  the  few  discrepancies  observable  between  this  city  and  Lon- 
don, are  the  undertakers^  «Aop«.  In  'England  they  are  all  wooden  win- 
dows below  a^d  scutcheons  above  ;  planks  and  shavings  within — in  fact, 
mere  workshops.  Here  they  are  different :  they  have  large  g^aas  fronts, 
like  a  milliner^  or  cut-glass  shop  with  us,  and  the  shop  tons  hack  thirty 
or  forty  feet,  its  sides  being  filled  with  coffins  standing  on  end,  mahogany 
and  French  polished.  Therein  you  may  select  as  you  please,  from,  the 
seven  feet  to  receive  the  well-grown  adult,  to  the  tiny  receptacle  of  what 
Bums  calls,  "  Wee  unchristened  babe."  I  have,  however,  never  heard 
of  any  one  choosing  their  own  coffin ;  they  generally  leave  it  to  their 
relatives  to  perform  that  office.-^  . 

I  may  here  remark,  that  the  Americans  are  sensible  enough  not  to 
throw  awinr  so  much  money  in  funerals  as  we  do ;  still  it  appears  strange 
to  an  Englishman  to  see  the  open  hearse,  containing  the  body,  drawn  by 
only  one  horse,  while  the  carriages  which  follow  are  drawn  by  two :  to  be 
sure,  the  carriages  generally  contain  six  individuals,  while  the  hearse  ia 
a  sulky,  and  carries  but  one. 

The  New  York  tradesmen  do  all  they  can,  as  the  English  do,  to  at- 
tract  the  notice  of  thd  public  by  hand-bills,  placards,  advertisements^ 

*  On  Sundays  the  coloured  population  take  possession  of  Broadway. 


MABT  IN  AMMIOi. 


I 


', 


Ac. ;  bnt  in  out  point  thqr  hare  gon*  ••head  of  ur.  PlaMidi,  6ic.f 
roar  b«  read  by  those  who  look  upward  'or  itraigbl  forward,  or  to  th» 
rignt  or  to  the  left ;  but  then  <ure  eoiike  people  who  walk  witli  their  eyes 
to  the  ground,  and  conae<}uently  see  nothing.  The  New  Yorkere  bavo 
prorided  for  this  contingency,  by  haying/krge  marble  tablets,  like  hori- 
zonul  tomb>stones,  let  into  the  flag  paremonts  of  the  trotttir  in  Aront  of 
their  shops,  on  which  is  engraven  in  duplicate,  turning  both  ways,  their 
nafnes  and  bushiess ;  so,  whether  you  walk  up  or  down  Broadway,  if 
you  cast  Your  eyes  downward  so  as  not  to  see  the  placards  above,  you 
cannot  help  reaang  the  inscriptions  below. 

Evenr  trsTeller  who  has  visited  this  city  has  spoken  of  the  numerous 
fires  which  take  place  in  it,  and  the  constant  running,  scampering,  hal- 
looing, and  trumpeting  of  the  firemen  with  their  engines ;  but  I  Je  not 
observe  that  any  one  nas  attempted  to  invesiigatie  the  causes  which  pro- 
duce,'  ffenerally  speaking,  three  or  four  fires  in  the  twenty-four  hours. 
New- York  has  certainly  great  capabilities,  and  eyery  chanco  of  improve- 
ment as  a  city ;  for  about  one  house  in  twenty  is  burnt  down  every  year, 
and  is  always  rebuilt  in  a  superior  manner.  But,  as  to  the  causes,  I 
have, 'after  minute  inquiry,  discovered  as  follows.  These  fires  are  oc- 
casioned— 

1st.  By  th<|  potorious  carelessness  of  black  servants,  and  the  custom 
of  smoking  cigars  all  the  day  long. 

3d.  By  the  Knavery  of  men  without  capital,  who  insure  to  double  and 
treble  the  value  of  their  stock,  and  realize  an  honest  penny  by  setting  fire- 
to  their  stores.  (This  is  one  reason  why  you  can  seldom  recover  from  a 
fire-oiSice  without  litigation.) 

8d.  Ffom  the  hasty  and  unsubstantial  way  in  which  houses  are  built 
up,  the  rafters  and  beams  often  communicating  with  the'  flues  bf  the 
chimneys. 

4th.  OonAagrations  of  houses  not  insured,  effected  by  agents  employed 
by  the  fire  inaurtnee  companies,  I's  a  punishment  to  some,  and  a  warn- 
incr  to  othe|rs,  who  have  neglected  to  taae  out  policies^ 

These  ^re  gravely  stated  to  me  as  the  causes  of  so  many  fires  ii> 
New  York.  I  cannot  vouch  for  the  truth  of  the  last,  although  I  feel 
bound  to  mention  it.  I  happen  to  be  lodged  opposite  to  two  fire-engine- 
houses,  80  that  I  always  know  when  there  is  a  fire.  Indeed,  so  does 
every  body ;  for  the  church  nearest  to  it  tolls  its  bell,  and  this  tolling  is 
repeated  by  all  the  others ;  and  as  there  are  more  than  three  hundred 
churches  in  New  York,  if  a  fire  takes  place  no  one  can  say  that  he  is 
not  aware  of  it.  ' 

The  doty  of  firemen  is  admirably  performed  by  the  -young  men  of  the 
city,  who  have  privileges  for  a  servitude  of  seven  years  ;  but  they  pay 
too  dearly  for  their  privileges,  which  are  an  exemption  from  military  and 
jurv  summons.  Many  of  them  are  taken  off  by  consumptions,  fevers, 
and  severe  catarrhs,  engendered  by  the  severe  trials  to  which  they,  are 
exposed :  the  sudden  transitions  from  extreme  heat  to  extreme  cold  in- 
winter,  being  siimmoned  up  from  a  warm  bed,  when  the  thermometer  is 
below  zero— then  expoaied  to  the  scorching  fiames-'-and  afterward  (as  I 
have  frequently  seen  them  myself,)  with  the  water  hanging  in  icicles 
upon  their  saturated  clothes.  To  recruit  themselves  after  their  fatigue 
and  exhaustion,  they  are  compelled  to  drink,  and  thus  it  is  no  wonder 
that  their  constitutions  are  undermined.  It  is,  nevertheless,  a  favourite. 
l«rvice,  as  the  young  men  have  an  opportunity  of  showing  courage  and 


MABT  IN  AMI|IIOA.  N 

^•(•niinfttion,  whioh  niiM  tbtm  hifh  is  tbt  pplmon  of  U(«if  brother 
eiliiant. 

I  mad*  •  poTohape  at  •  stora :  m  inUilUMnt  lud)^g  Uttit  h$f  brought 

It  hoiM  for  lao.    At  he  walkod  bj  my  liat,  iM  Mui««d  me  vef/  iMcb 

by  poUiof  the  foUowinv  queationa  :^— 
"Prayi  eapUb,  haa  Mr.  Baay  leA  the  kbf  of  Englaii^f  iarvlee  t'* 
"  I  think  he  haa,"  replied  f;  '*  if  you  recolieot,  he  narr«a4  and  weiit 

on  ahore." 
"  Have  you  aeen  Mr.  Japhet  lately  V*  waa  the  next  qaery» 
"Not  very  lately,"  replied  I ;  "the  laat  time  I  aaw  Itim  waa  at  th« 

publiaher'a.'^ 
The  little  fellow  went  away,  pejfeetly  aatiafied  that  they  were  both 

•live  and  well. 


I  the  cuatonv 


CHAPTER  IV. 

I 

'    Thb  doga  are  all  tied  npi  and  the  muaquitoea  have  broke  loope— it  ia 
hiffh  lime  to  leave  New  York>      .        . 

The  American  ateam-boata  have  been  oiUn  deioribed.  When  I  firat 
aaw  one  of  the  largeat  aweep  round  the  battery,  with  her  two  d^ka,  the 
upper  oneacreened  with  anow-wbite  awuinga— 4he  gay  dreeaea  of  the 
ladtea^the  varietvof  coloured— it  reminded  me  of  a  floating  garden,  and 
I  fancied  that  laofa  Bella,  on  the  Lalw  of  Como,  had  got  underweigh, 
and  made  the  firat  at«aro  voyage  to  America. '     ' 

The.Hudaoh  ia  a  noble  atream,  flowing  rapidly  through  iti  bold  and 
deep  bed.  Already  it  haa  many  aHaociationa  connected  with  it— 'a  great 
many  for  the  time  which  haa  elapaed  aince  Henrick  HudacMi  firat  ex- 
plored it.  Whe;re[  ia  the  race  of  red  men  who  hunted  on  ita  bahka,  Ar 
nahed  and  paddled  their  canoea  in  ita  atream  1  They  have  diaapoelured 
from  the  earth,  and  acarce  a  viitage  remaina  of  them,  ozoept  in  biatoiy. 
No  portion  of  thia  world  waa  ever  intended  to  Remain  fo^lagea  untenant* 
ed.  Beaata  of  prey  and  noxiovia  reptilea  are  permitted  to  eziat  in  the 
wild  and  uninhabited  ref  iona  until  tney  are  a  wept  away  bv  the  broad 
etream  of  civilization,  which,  as  it  poura  along,  drivei  them  nom  hold  to 
hold,  until  they  finally  disappear.  So  it  is  with  the  more  savage  na- 
tions :  they  are  but  tenants  at  trill,  and  never  were  intended  to  remain 
longer  -than  till  the '  time  when  civilization,  with  the  gospel,  arts,  and 
sciences,  in  h^r  train,  should  appear,  and  claim  as  her  own  that  portion  - 
of  the  universe  which  they  occupy. 

About  thirty  miles  from  New  York  is  Tarrytown,  the  abode  of  Wash- 
ington Irving,  who  has  here  en^bosom'ed  himself  iu  his  own  region  of 
romance ;,  for  Sleepy  Hollow  lies  behind  his  domicile.  Nearly  opposite 
to  it,  is  the  sight  of  a  mournful  reality^ — the  spot  where  popt  Major  Andre 
was  hung  up  as  a  spy. 

You  pass  the  State  Prison,  built  on  a  spot  which  still  retaina  its  Indian 
name— Sing  Sing — rather  an  odd  na.me  for  a  prison,  where  people  are 
condemned  to  perpetual  silen<;e.  It  is  a  fine  building  of  white  marble, 
like  a  palace — very  appropriate  for  that  portion  of  the  a&oereign  people, 
who  may  qualify  themselves  for  a  residence  in  it. 

I  had  a  genuine  Yankee  story  from  one  of  the  party  on  deck.  I  was 
inquiring  if  the  Hudson  was  frozen  up  or  not  duritig  the  winter  1  This 
led  to  a  conversation  as  to  the  severity  of  the  winter,  when  one  man,  by 
way  of  proving  how  cold  it  was,  said—"  Why,  I  had  a  cow  on  my  lot  up 


Hi 


DUST  IN  AXUICA. 


i^, 


the  river,  and  last  iwinter  she  got  in  amon^  the  ice,  and  wae  earned  down 
three  miles  before  we  cot^ld  eet  her  out  again.-  The  consequence  ha» 
been  that  she  has  milked  nothing  but  ice-creams  eyersince." 

When  you  have  ascended  about  fifty  miles,  the  bed  of  the  river  be- 
comes  contraiited  and  deeper,  and  it  pours  its  waters  rapidly  through 
th»  high  lands  on  each  side,  having  at  some  distant  time  ^roed  its  pas- 
sage through  a  chain  of  rocky  mountains.  It  was  quite  dark  long  be- 
fore we  arrived  at  West  Point,  which  I  had  embarked  to  visit.  A  storm 
hung, over  us,  and  as  we  passed  through  the  broad  masses  piled  up  on 
each  side  of  the  river,  at  one  moment  illuminated  by  the  lightning  as  it 
burst  from  the  opaque  clouds,  and  the  next  towering  in  sullen  gloom, 
the  effect  was  sublime. 
Here  I  am  at  Weqt  Point. 

West  Point  is  famous  in  the  short  history  of  this  country.  It  is  th» 
key  of  the  Hudson  river.  The  traitor  Arnold  had  agreed  to  deliver  it 
up  to  the  English,  itnd  it  was  on  his  return  from  arranging  the  terms 
with  Arnold,  that  Andr6  was  csiptured  and  hung. 

At  present,  a  military  college  is  established  here,  which  turns  out  about 
forty  officers  every  year.  Although  they  receive  commissions  in  any  re- 
giment of  the  American  army  when  there  may  be  vacancies,  they  are 
all  educated  as  engineers.  The  democr&'ts  have  made  several  attempts  to 
break  up  this  establishment,  as  savou/ing  too  much  of  tnonarehy,  but 
hitherto  h«ve  been  uiisuccessful.  It  would  be  a  pity  if  they  did  succeed, 
for  such  has  been  the  demand  lately  for  engineers  to  superintend  rail- 
roads and  canals,  that  a  large  portion  of  them  have  resigned  their  com- 
missions, and  found  employment  in  the  different  states.  This  considera- 
tion alone  is  quite  sufficient  to  warrant  the  keeping  up  of  the  college,  for 
civil  engineers  are  a  sine  qua  «on  in  a  country  like  America,  and  they 
are  always  ready  to  serve  should  their  military  services  be  required. 
There  was  an  inspection  at  the  time  I  was  there,  and  it  certainly  was 
highly  creditable  to  the  students,  as  well  as  to  tho^e  who  superintend  the 
various  departments. 

When  I  awoke  the  next  morning,  I  threw  open  the  blinds  of  my  Win- 
dows, which  looked  out  upon  the  river,  and  really  was  surprised  and  de- 
lighted. A  more  beautiful  view  I  never  gazed  upon.  The  Rhine  was 
fresh  in  my  memory  ;  but,  although  the  general  features  of  the  two  rivers 
are  not  dissimilar,  there  is  no  one  pbrtion  of  the  Rhine  which  can  be 
compared  to  the  Hudson  at  West  Point.  It  wus  what  you  may  imagine 
the  Rhine  to  have  been  in  the  days  of  Csesar,  when  the  lofty  mountains 
through  which  it  sweeps  were  not  bared  and  naked  as  they  now  are,  but 
clothed  with  forests,  and  rich  in  all  the  variety  and  beauty  of  undisturbed 
nature. 

There  is  a  sweet  little  spot  not  far  from  the  college,  where  a  tomb 
has  been  erected  in  honour  of  Kosciusko— it  is  called  Kosciusko's  Garden. 
I  often  sat  there  and  talked  over  the  events  of  the  war  of  Independence. 
Many  anecdotes  were  narrated  to  me,  some  of  them  very  original.  I 
will  mention  one  or  two  which  have  not  escaped  my  memory. 

Gno  of  the  officers  who  most  diBli.  wished  himself  in  the  struggle  was 
a  General  Starke  ;  and  the  following  n  the  speech  he  is  reported  to  have 
made  to  his  men  previous  to  an  engaj.emr nt : — 

"  Now,  my  men,  you  see  them  ere  Belji  ms ;  every  man  of  them  bought 
by  the  king  of  jCngland  at  17s.  6d.  a-head,  and  Pve  a  notion  he  paid  too 
dear  for  them.  Now,  my  men,  we  either  beats  them  this  day,  or  Molly 
Starke's  a  widow,  by  G-^-d."    He  did  beat  them,  and  in  his  despatch  to 


aBSK 


DIAftT  IN  AHBBICU. 


uperintend  the 


head^quarters  he  wrote—'*  We've  had  a  dreadful  hot  day  of  it,  general, 
and  Tve  lost  myhorae,  saddle  and  bridle  and  all." 

In  those  timet,  losing  a  saddle  and  bridle  was  as  bad  as  losing  a  horse. 

At  the  same  affair,  the  captain  commanding  the  outposts  was  very 
lame,  and  he  thought  proper  thus  to  address  his  men :— • 

"  Now,  my  lads,  you  see  we're  only  an  outpost,  and  we  are  not  ex- 
pected to  beat  the  whole  army  in  face  of  us.  The  duty  of  an  outpost, 
when  the  enemy  comes  on,  is  to  go  in,  treeing  it,  and  keeping  ourselves 
not  exposed.  Now,  you  have  my  orders  ;  and  as  I  am  a  little  lame,  I'll 
go  in  first,  and  mind  you  do  your  duty  and  come  in  after  me." 

I  passed  several  days  at  this  beautiful  spot,  which  is  much  visited  by 
the  Americans.  Some  future  day,  when  America  shall  have  become 
wealthy,  and  New  York  the  abode  of  affluence  and  ease,  what  taste  may 
not  be  lavished  on  the  banks  of  this  noble  river !  and  what  a  lovely  re- 
treat  will  be  West  Point,  if  permitted  to  remain  in  all  its  present  wild- 
ness  and  grandeur. 

;  I  re-embarked  at  midnight  in  the  steam-boat  descending  from  Albany, 
and  which  is  fitted  out  as  a  night  boat.  Wlien  I  descended  into  the  cabin, 
it  presented  a  whimsical  sight ;  two  rows  of  bed-places  on  each  side  of 
the  immense  cabin,  running  right  fore  and  aft ;  three  other  rows  in  Vne 
centre,  each  of  these  five  rows  having  three  bed-places,  one  over  the 
other.  There  were  upwards  of  five  nundred  people,  lying  in  every  va- 
riety of  posture,  and  exhibiting  every  state  and  degree  of  repose — from 
the  loud  uneasy  snorer  lying  on  his  back,  to  the  deep  sleeper  tranquil  as 
death.  I  walked  up  and  down,  through  these  long  ranges  of  unconscious- 
ness, thinking  how  much  care  was  for  the  time  forgotten.  But  as  the 
air  below  was  oppressive,  and  the  moon  was  beautiful  in  the  heavens,  I 
went  on  deck,  and  watched  the  swift  career  of  the  vessel,  which,  with  a 
favouring  tide,  was  fiying  past  the  shores  at  the  rate  of  twenty  miles  an 
hour — one  or  two  people  only,  out  of  so  many  hundreds  on  board  of  her, 
silently  watching  over  the  great  principle  of  locomotion.  The  moon  sank 
down,  and  the  sun  rose  and  gilded  the  verdure  of  the  banks  and  the  spires 
of  the  city  of  New  York,  as  I  revelled  in  my  own  thoughts  and  enjoyed 
the  luxury  of  being  alone — a  double  luxury  in  America,  where  the  peo- 
ple are  gregarious,  and  would  think  themselves  very  ill-bred  if  Uiey  allow- 
ed you  one  moment  for  meditation  or  self-examination. 


•     '  CHAPTER  V. 

Steppsd  on  board  of  the  Narraganset  steam-vessel  for  Providence. 
Here  is  a  fair  specimen  of  American  travelling  :  from  New  York  to  Pro- 
vidence, by  the  Long  Island  Sound,  is  two  hundred  miles ;  and  this  is 
accomplished,  under  usual  circumstances,  in  thirteen  hours  ;  from  Pro- 
vidence to  Boston,  forty  miles  by  railroad  in  two  hours — which  makes, 
from  New  York  to  Boston,  an  average  speed  of  silteen  miles  an  hour, 
stoppages  included. 

I  was,  I  must  confess,  rather  surprised,  when  in  the  railroad  cars,  to 
find  that  we  were  passing  through  a  church-yard,  with  tomb-stones  on 
both  sides  of  us.  In  Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts,  where  the  pilgrim- 
fathers  first  landed---the  two  states  that  take  pride  to  themselves  (and 
with  justice)  for  superior  morality  and  a  strict  exercise  of  religious  ob- 
servances— they  look  down  upon  the  other  states  of  'he  Union,  espe- 
cially New  York-and  cry  out,  "  I  thank  thee,  Lord,  that  I  am  not  as  that 
publican."    Yet  here,  in  Rhode  Island,  are  the  sleepers  of  the  railway 

3 


M 


DURY  IN   AMIBIOA. 


laid  over  the  sleepers  in  death ;  here  do  they  grind  down  the  bones  of 
their  ancestors  for  the  sake  of  gain,  and  consecrated  earth  is  desecrated 
by  the  iron'wheels,  loaded  with  Mammon-seeking  mortals.  And  this  in 
the  puritanical  state  of  Rhode  Island  !  Would  any  engineer  have  ven- 
tured to  propose  such  a  line  in  England  1  I  think  not.  After  all,  it  is 
but  human  nature.  I  have  run  over  the  world  a  long  while,  and  have 
always  observed  that  people  are  very  religious  so  long  as  religion  does 
not  interfere  with  their  pockets  ;  but,  with  cold  in  one  hand  and  godli- 
ness in  the  other,  the  tangible  is  always  prererred  to  the  immaterial.  In 
America,  everything  is  sacrificed  to  time  :  for  time  is  money.  The  New 
Yorkers  would  have  dashed  right  through  the  church  itself;  but,  then, 
they  are  publicans,  and  don't  pretend  to  be  good. 

Boston  is  a  fine  city,  and,  as  a  commercial  one,  almost  as  well  situated 
as  New  York.  It  has,  however,  lost  a  large  portion  of  its  commerce, 
which  the  latter  has  gradually  wrested  from  it,  and  it  must  eventually 
lose  much  more.  The  population  of  Boston  is  about  eighty  thousand, 
and  it  has  probably  more  people  of  leisure  in  it  (that  is,  out  of  business 
and  living  on  their  own  means)  than  even  Philadelphia  ;  taking  into  the 
estimate  the  difference  between  the  populations.  They  are  more  learned 
and  scientific  here  than  at  New  York,  though  not  more  so  than  at  Phila- 
delphia ;  but  they  are  more  English  than  in  any  other  city  in  America, 
file  MassachusettspeOple  are  very  fond  of  comparing  their  country  with 
that  of  England.  The  scenery  is  not  unlike  ;  but  it  is  not  like  England 
in  its  high  state  of  cultivation.  Stone  walls  are  bad  substitutes  for  green 
hedges.  Still  there  are  some  lOvely  spots  in  the  environs  of  Boston. 
Mount  Auburn,  laid  out  as  a  Pdre  la  Chaise,  is,  in  natural  beauties,  far 
superior  to  any  other  place  of  the  kind.  One  would  almost  wish  to  be 
buried  there ;  and  the  proprietors,  anxious  to  have  it  peopled,  offer,  by 
their  arrangements  as  to  the  price  of  places  of  interment,  a  handsome 
premium  to  those  who  will  soonest  die  and  be  buried — ^which  is  certainly 
a  convideration. 

Fresh  Pond  is  also  a  very  romantic  spot.  It  is  a  lake  of  about  two 
hundred  acres,  whose  water  is  so  pure  that  the  ice  is  transparent  as  glasa. 
Its  proprietor  clears  many  thousand  dollars  a-year  by  the  sale  of  it..  It 
is  eut  out  in  blocks  of  three  feet  square,  and  supplies  most  parts  of  Ame- 
rica down  to  New  Orleans ;  and  every  winter  latterly  two  or  three  ships 
have  been  loaded  and  sent  to  Calcutta,  by  which  a  very  handsome  profit 
has  been  realized. 

Since  I  have  been  here,  I  have  made  every  Inquiry  relative  to  the  sea- 
serpent  which  frequents  this  coast  alone.  There  are  many  hundreds  of 
most  respectable  people,  who,  on  other  points,  would  be  considered  as  in- 
capable of  falsehood,  who  declare  they  nave  seen  the  animals,  and  vouch 
for  their  existence.  It  is  rather  singular  that  in  America  there  is  but 
one  copy  of  Bishop  Pontoppidon's  work  on  Noiway,  and  in  it  the  sea- 
eerpent  is  described,  and  a  rough  wood-cut  of  its  appearance  given.  In 
all  the  American  newspapers  a  drawing  was  given  of-  the  animal  as  de- 
scribed by  those  who  saw  it,  and  it  proved  to  be  almost  a  facsimile  of 
the  one  described  by  the  Bishop  in  his  work. 

Now  that  wo  are  on  marine  matters,  I  must  notice  the  prodigious  size 
of  the  lobster*!  off  Boston  coast ;  they  could  stow  a  dozen  common  Eng- 
lish lobsters  under  their  coats  of  mail.  My  very  much  respected  friend, 
Sir  Isaac  Coffin,  when  he  was  here,  once  laid  a  wager  that  he  would  pro- 
duce a  lobster  weighing  thirty  pounds.  The  bet  was  accepted,  and  the 
admi'al  despatched  people  to  the  proper  quarter  to  procure  one  :  but  thev 


■*., 


DIABY  m  AKIKICA. 


ST 


xrere  not  then  in  season,  and  could  not  be  had.  The  admiral,  not  liking 
to  lose  his  money,  broacht  up,  instead  of  the  lobster,  the  afBdavits  of  cer- 
tain people  that  they  had  often  seen  lobsters  of  that  size  and  weight. 
The  affioavits  of  the  deponents  he  submitted  to  the  other  party,  and  pre- 
tended that  he  had  won  the  wager.  The  case  was  referred  to  arbitra- 
tion, and  the  admiral  was  cast  with  the  following  pithy  reply,  "  Deposi- 
tions  are  not  lobsters." 

Massachusetts  is  certainly  very  English  in  its  scenery,  and  Boston  es- 
sentially English  as  a  city.  The  Bostonians  assert  that  they  are  more 
English  than  we  are,  that  is,  that  they  have  strictly  adhered  to  the  old 
English  customs  and  manners,  as  handed  down  to  them  previous  to  the 
revolution.  That  of  sitting  a  very  long  while  at  their  wine  after  dinner, 
is  one  which  they  certainly  adhere  to,  and  which,  /  think,  would  be  more 
honoured  in  the  breach  than  the  observance ;  but  their  hospitality  is  un- 
bounded, and  you  do,  as  an  Englishman,  feel  at  home  with  them.  I  agree 
with  the  Bostonians  so  far,  that  they  certainly  appear  to  have  made  no 
change  in  their  manners  and  customs  for  these  last  hundred  years.  You 
meet  here  with  frequent  specimens  of  the  Old  English  Gentleman,  de- 
scendants of  the  best  old  English  families  who  settled  here  long  before 
the  revolution,  and  are  now  living  on  their  incomes,  with  a  town  house 
and  a  country  seat  to  retire  to  during  the  summer  season.  The  society 
of  Boston  is  very  delightful ;  it  wins  upon  you  every  day,  and  that  is  the 
greatest  compliment  that  can  be  paid  to  it. 

Perhaps  of  all  the  Americans  the  Bostonians  are  the  most  sensitive  to 
any  illiberal  remarks  made  npon  the  country,  for  they  consider  themselves, 
and  pride  themselves,  as  being  peculiarly  English ;  while,  on  the  contrary, 
the  majority  of  the  Americans  deny  that  they  are  English.  There  cer- 
tainly is  less  intermixture  of  foreign  blood  in  this  city  than  in  any  other 
in  America.  It  will  appear  strange,  but  so  wedded  are  they  to  old  cus- 
toms, even  to  John  Bullism,  that  it  is  not  more  than  seven  or  eight  years 
that  French  wines  have  been  put  on  the  Boston  tables,  and  became  in 
general  use  in  this  city. 

It  is  a  pity  that  this  feeling  towards  England  is  not  likely  to  continue; 
indeed,  even  at  this  moment  it  is  gradually  wearing  away.  Self-interest ' 
governs  the  world.  At  the  declaration  of  the  last  war  with  England,  it 
was  the  northern  states  which  were  so  opposed  to  it,  and  the  southern 
who  were  in  favour  of  it ;  but  now  circumstances  have  changed  ;  the 
northern  states,  since  the  advance  in  prosperity  and  increase  of  produce 
in  the  southern  and  western  states,  feel  aware  that  it  is  only  as  manufac- 
turing states  that  they  can  hold  their  rank  with  the  others.  Their  com- 
merce has  decreased  since  the  completion  of  the  Erie  and  Ohio  canals, 
and  during  the  war  they  discovered  the  advantage  that  would  accrue  to 
them,  as  manufacturers,  to  supply  the  southern  and  western  markets. 
The  imports  of  English  goods  have  nearly  ruined  them.  They  now 
manufacture  nothing  but  coarse  articles,  and  as  you  travel  through  the 
eastern  countries,  you  are  surprised  to  witness  splendid  fabrics  com- 
menced, but,  for  want  of  encouragement,  not  finished.  This  has  changed 
the  interests  of  the  opponent  states.  The  southern  are  very  anxious  to 
remain  at  peace  with  England,  that  their  produce  may  find  a  market; 
while  the  northern,  on  the  contrary,  would  readily  consent  to  a  war,  that 
they  might  shut  out  the  English  manufactures,  and  have  the  supply  en- 
tirely in  their  own  hands.  The  eastern  states  (I  particularly  refer  to 
Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  and  Rhode  Island)  offer  a  proof  of  what  can 
be  effected  by  economy,  prudeneo,  and  industry,    Except  on  the  borders 


S8  DUET  IN  AXIRICA.    . 

of  the  rivers,  thd  lands  are  f^enerally  sterile,  and  the  climate  is  severe, 
yjBt,  perhaps,  the  population  is  more  at  its  ease  than  in  any  other  part 
of  the  Union ;  but  the  produce  of  the  states  is  not  sufficient  for  the 
increasing  population,  or  rather  what  the  population  would  have  been 
had  it  not  migrated  every  year  to  the  west  and  south.  They  sot  a  high- 
er value  upon  good  connections  in  thcTse  poor  states  than  they  do  in 
others ;  and  if  a  daughter  is  to  be  married,  they  will  ask  what  family  the 
•nitor  is  of,  and  if  it  bears  a  good  name,  they  are  quite  indifferent  as  to 
whether  he  has  a  cent  or  not.  It  is  remarkable  that  if  a  man  has  three 
or  four  sons  in  these  states,  one  will  be  a  lawyer,  another  a  medical  man, 
another  a  clergyman,  and  one  will  remain  at  home  to  take  the  property  ; 
«nd  tlfus,  out  of  the  proceeds  of  a  farm,  perhaps  not  containing  more 
than  fifty  acres,  all  these  young  men  shall  be  properly  educated,  and  in 
turn  sent  forth  to  the  west  and  south,  where  they  gain  an  honourable 
independence,^  and  very  often  are  sent  to  congress  as  senators  and 
representatives.  Industry  and  frugality  are  the  only  entailed  estate 
bequeathed  from  father  to  son.  Yet  this  state  alone  manufactures  to 
the  value  of  86,282,616  dollars  in  the  year.  As  a  general  axiom  it 
may  fairly  be  asserted,  that  the  more  sterile  the  soil,  the  more  virtuous, 
industrious,  and  frugal  are  the  inhabitants ;  and  x'c  may  be  added,  that 
such  a  country  sends  out  more  clever  and  intelligent  men  than  one  that 
is  nominally  more  blessed  by  Providence.  The  fact  is,  without  frugality 
and  industry  the  eastern  states  could  not  exist  ;  they  become  virtues  of 
necessity,  and  are  the  basis  of  others ;  whilst,  where  there  is  abundance, 
vice  springs  up  and  idleness  takes  deep  root. 

The  population  of  Massachusetts  is  by  the  last  returns  701,331  souls. 
I  rather  think  the  proportion  of  women  to  men  is  very  great. 

An  energetic  and  enterprising  people  are  anxious  for  an  investigation 
into  cause  and  effect,  a  search  into  which  is,  after  all,  nothing  but 
curiosity  well  directed,  and  the  most  curious  of  all  men  is  the  philosopher. 
Curiosity,  therefore,  becomes  a  virtue  or  a  small  vice,  according  to  the 
use  made  of  it.  The  Americans  are  excessively  curious,  especially  the 
mob  :  they  cannot  bear  anything  like  a  secret, — that's  unconstilutional. 
It  may  be  remembered,  that  the  Catholic  convent  near  Boston,  which 
had  existed  many  years,  was  attacked  by  the  mob  and  pulled  down.  I 
was  inquiring  into  the  cause  of  this  outrage  in  a  country  where  all  forms 
of  religion  are  tolerated ;  and  an  American  gentleman  told  me,  that 
idthou^  other  reasons  had  been  adduced  for  it,  he  fully  believed,  in  his 
own  mind,  that  the  majority  of  the  inob  were  influenced  more  by  curiositi^ 
than  any  other  feeling.  The  convent  was  sealed  to  them,  and  they  were 
determined  tO  know  what  was  in  it.  "  Why,  sir,"  continued  he,  "  I  will 
lay  a  wager  that  if  the  authorities  were  to  nail  together  a  dozen  planks, 
and  fix  them  upon  the  common,  with  a  caution  to  the  public  that  they  were 
not  to  go  near  or  touch  them,  in  twenty-four  hours  a  mob  would  be  raised 
to  pull  them  down  and  ascertain  what  the  planks  contained."  I  mention 
this  conversation  to  show  in  what  manner  this  American  gentleman  at- 
tempted to  palliate  one  of  the  grossest  outrages  ever  committed  by  his 
countrymen. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Crossed  over  to  New  Jersey,  and  took  the  railroad,  to  view  the  falls 
of  the  Passaic  river,  about  fifteen  miles  from  New  York.  This  water* 
power  has  given  birth  to  Paterson,  a  town  with  ten  thousand  inhabitants, 


DUBY  IN  AMkmOA. 


29 


^    '!>. 


where  a  variety  of  manufactures  is  carried  on.  '  A  more  beautiful  wild 
spot  can  hardly  be  conceived  ;  and  to  an  European  who  has  been  accus- 
tomed to  travel  far  in  search  of  the  picturesque,  it  appears  singular  that 
at  80  short  a  distance  from  a  large  city,  he  should  at  once  find  himself  in 
the  midst  of  such  a  strange  coinbination  of  nature  and  art.  Independent 
of  their  beauty,  they  are,  perhaps,  the  most  singular  falls  that  are  known 
to  exist.  The  whole  country  is  of  trappe  formation,  and  the  black  rocks 
rise  up  strictly  vertical.  The  river,  which  at  the  falls  is  about  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  yards  wide,  pours  over  a  bed  of  rock  between  hills 
covered  with  chestnut,  walnut,  pine,  and  sycamore,  all  mingled  together, 
and  descending  to  the  edge  of  the  bank  ;  their  bright  and  various  foliage 
forming  a  lovely  contrast  to  the  clear  rushing  water.  The  bed  of  black 
rock  over  which  the  river  runs,  is,  at  the  fall,  suddenly  split  in  two,  ver- 
tically, and  across  the  whole  width  of  the  river.  The  fissure  is  about 
seventy  feet  deep,  and  not  more  than  twelve  feet  wide  at  any  part. 
Down  into  this  chasm  pour  the  whole  water  of  the  river,  escaping  from 
it,  at  a  right  angle,  into  a  deep  basin,  surrounded  with  perpendicular  rocks 
from  eighty  to  ninety  feet  high.  You  may  therefore  stand  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  chasm,  looking  up  the  river,  within  a  few  feet  of  the  fall, 
and  watch  the  roaring  waters  as  they  precipitate  themselves  below.  In 
this  position,  with  the  swift,  clear,  but  not  deep  waters  before  you,  forcing 
their  passage  through  the  rocky  bed,  with  the  waving  trees  on  each  side^ 
their  branches  feathering  to  the  water's  edge,  or  dipping  and  rising  in 
the  stream,  you  might  imagine  yourself  far  removed  from  your  fellow- 
men,  and  you  feel  that  in  such  a  beauteous  spot  you  could  well  turn  an- 
chorite, and  commune  iwith  Nature  alone.  But  turn  round  with  your 
back  to  the  fall — look  below*,  and  all  is  changed  :  art  in  full  activity- 
millions  of  reels  whirling  in  iheir  sockets — the  bright  polished  cylinders 
incessantly  turning,  and  never  tiring.  What  formerly  was  the  occupa- 
tion of  thousands  of  industrious  females,  who  sat  with  their  distaff  at  the 
cottage  door,  is  now  effected  in  a  hundredth  part  of  the  time,  and  in  every 
T  ariety,  by  those  compressed  machines  which  require  but  the  attendance 
of  one  child  to  several  hundreds.  But  machinery  cannot  perform  every- 
thing, and  notwithstanding  this  reduction  of  labour,  the  romantic  falls  of 
the  Passaic  find  employment  for  the  industry  of  thousands. 

We  walked  up  the  banks  of  the  river  above  the  fall,  and  met  with 
about  twenty  or  thirty  urchins  who  were  bathing  at  the  mouth  of  the  cut, 
made  for  the  supply  of  the  water-power  to  the  manufactories  below.  The 
river  is  the  property  of  an  individual,  and  is  very  valuable  :  he  receives 
six  hundred  dollars  per  annum  for  one  square  foot  of  water-power ;  ten 
years  hence  it  will  be  rented  at  a  much  higher  price. 

We  amused  ourselves  by  throwing  small  pieces  of  money  into  the 
water,  where  it  was  about  a  fathom  deep,  for  the  boys  to  dive  after ; 
they  gained  them  too  easily  ;  we  went  to  another  part  in  tho  cut,  where 
it  was  much  deeper,  and  threw  in  a  dollar.  The  boys  stood  naked  on 
the  rocks,  like  so  many  cormorants,  waiting  to  dart  upon  their  prey ; 
when  the  dollar  had  time  to  sink  to  the  bottom  the  word  was  given— 
they  all  dashed  down  like  lightning  and  disappeared.  About  a  minute 
elapsed  ere  there  was  any  sign  of  their  re-appearance,  when  they  came 
up,  one  by  one,  breathless  and  flushed  (like  racers  who  had  pulled  up), 
and  at  last  the  victor  appeared  with  the  dollar  between  his  teeth.  We 
left  the  juvenile  Sam  Patches,*  and  returned  to  the  town. 

*  Sam  Patch,  an  American  peripatetic,  who  used  to  amuse  himself  an^ 
astoaish  his  countrymen  by  leaping  down  the  different  falls  in  America.    Hf. 


>^ 


80 


DU>Y  IK  IMMniCX. 


JhiK»  M  no  part  of  the  world,  perhaps,  where  you  have  more  difficulty 
in  ebtainiiur  permission  to  be  alone,  and  indulge  in  a  reverie,  than  in 
America.  The  Americans  are  as  gregarious  as  school-boys,  and  think  it 
An  bcivility  to  leave  you  by  yourself.  Everything  is  done  in  crowds, 
And  among  a  crowd.  They  even  prefer  a  double  bed  to  a  single  one, 
And  I  have  often  had  the  offer  to  sleep  with  me  made  out  of  real  kindness. 
You  must  go  "  east  of  sun-rise"  (or  west  of  sun-set)  if  you  would  have 
Aolitude. 

I  never  was  in  a  more  meditative  humour,  more  anxious  to  be  left  to 
my  own  dreamings,  than  when  I  ascended  the  railroad  car  with  my  com- 
panion to  return  to  Jersey  city ;  we  were  the  only  two  in  that  division 
of  the  car,  and  my  friendf,  who  understood  me,  had  the  complaisance  to 
go  fast  asleep.  I  made  sure  that,  for  an  hour  or  two,  I  could  indulge  in 
my  own  castle-buildings,  and  allow  my  fleeting  thoughts  to  pass  over  my 
brain,  Uke  the  scud  over  the  moon,  At  our  first  stoppage  a  third  party 
■tepped  in  and  seated  himself  between  us.  He  looked  at  my  companion, 
who  was  fast  asleep.  He  turned  to  me,  and  I  turned  away  my  head. 
Once  more  was  I  standing  at  the  falls  of  the  Passaic  ;  once  more  were 
the  waters  rolling  down  before  me,  the  trees  gracefully  wavinjg  their 
boughs  to  the  breeze,  and  the  spray  cooling  my  heated  brain ;  my  brain 
was,  like  the  camera-obscura,  filled  with  the  pleasing  images,  which  I 
watched  as  they  passed  before  me  «(>  vividly  portrayed,  all  in  life' and 
motion,  when  IwaA  interrupted  by — 

"I  wits  bom  in  the  very  heart  of  Cheshire,  sir." 

Confound  the  fellow  !  The  river,  falls,  foliage,'  all  vanished  at  once  : 
and  I  found  myself  sitting  in  a  railroad-car  (which  I  had  been  uncon- 
scious oO,  with  a  heavy  lump  of  humanity  by  my  side.  I  wished  pne  of 
the  largest  Cheshire  cheeses  dQwn  his  throat. 

"  Indeed !"  replied  I,  not  looking  at  the  man. 

**  Yes,  sir— in  the  very  heart  of  Cheshire."  ■ 

"  Would  you  had  staid  there !"  thought  I,  turning  away  to  the  window 
tvithoot  replying. 

'*  Will  you  oblige  me  with  a  pinch  of  your  snuff,  sirl  I  left  my  box 
•t  New  York." 

I  gave  him  the  bo:t,  and,  when  ho  had  helped  himself,  laid  it  down  on 
the  vacant  seat  opposite  to  him,  that  he  might  not  have  to  apply  again, 
and  fell  back  and  shut  my  eyes,  as  a  hint  to  him  that  I  did  not  wish  to 
enter  into  conversation.  A  panse  ensued,  and  I  had  hopes  ;  but  they 
were  delusive 

"  I  have  been  eighteen  years  in  this  country,  sir."  ' 

"  You  appear  to  be  quite  Americanized  /"  thought  I ;  but  I  made  him 
no  answer. 

*'  I  went  up  to  Paterson,  sir,"  continued  be  (now  turning  round  to  me, 
and  speaking  in  my  ear),  '*  thinking  that  I  could  get  to  Philadelphia  by 
that  route,  and  found  that  I  had  mule  a  mistake  ;  so  I  have  come  back. 
I  am  tM  there  are  sonic  pretty  falls  there,  sir." 

**  Would  you  were  beneath  them !"  thought  I ;  but  I  could  not  help 
laughing  at  the  idea  of  a  man  going  to  Paterson,  and  returning  without 
seemg  Jbhe  falls  !  By  this  time  he  had  awakened -his  companion,  who, 
bein^  American  himself,  and  finding  that  there  was  to  be  no  more  sleep, 

leaped  down  a  portion  of  the  Niagara  without  injury ;  but  one  fine  day, 
kaving  taken  a  drop  too  much,  he  took  a  leap  too  much.  He  went  down  the 
Clenessee  Fall,  aAd  since  that  time  he  has  not  been  seen  or  heard  of. 


-^^mnnattn. 


■m- 


DUIT  IN  AMMICA. 


8i 


ut  I  made  him 


took  him  up,  ia  the  American  fashion,'  and  put  to  him  aacceaairely  the 
following  questions,  all  of  which  were  answered  without  hesitation:— 
*'  What  18  your  name  1  where  are  you  from  1  where  are  you  going  1  what 
is  your  profession  1  how  many  dollars  have  you  made  1  have  you  a  wife 
and  children  1"  All  these  being  duly  responded  to,  he  asked  my  com- 
panion who  I  might  be,  and  was  told  that  I  was  an  operative  artist,  and 
one  of  thefirst cotton  spinners  in  the  country. 

This  communication  procured  for  me  cdnsiderable  deference  from  our 
new  acquaintance  during  the  remainder  of  our  journey.  He  observed  in 
the  ear  of  my  companion,  that  he  thought  I  knew  a  thing  or  two.  In  a 
cotmtry  like  America  the  utilitarian  will  always  command  respect. 

CHAPTER  Vni. 

Thk  4th  of  July,  the  sixty- first  anniversary  of  American  independence ! 

Pop — pop — bang — pop — pop — bang — ^bang— bang  !  Mercy  on  us  ! 
how  fortunate  it  is  that  anmversaries  come  only  once  a-year.  Well,  the 
Americans  jnay  have  great  reason  to  be  proud  of  this  day,  and  of  the 
deeds  of  their  forefathers,  but  why  do  they  get  so  confoundedly  drunk  1 
why,  on  this  day  of  itidependence,  should  they  become  so  dependent  upon 
posts  and  rails  for  support  1 — The  day  is  at  last  over ;  my  head  aches,  but 
there  will  be  many  more  aching  heads  to-morrow  morning ! 

What  a  combination  of  vowels  and  consonants  have  been  put  together ! 
what  strings  of  tropes,  metaphors,  and  allegories  have  been  used  on  this 
day  !  what  varieties  and  graduations  of  eloquence  \  There  are  at  least 
fifty  thousand  cities,  towns,  villages,  and  hamlets,  spread  over  the,surface 
of  America — in  each  the  Declaration  of  Independence  has  been  read ;  in 
aill  one,  and  in  some  two  or  three,  orations  have  been  delivered,  with  as 
much  gunpowder  in  them  as  in  the  squibs  and  crackers.  But  let  me  de- 
seribe  what  I  actually  saw. 

The  commemoration  commenced,  if  the  day  did  not,  on  the  evening 
of  the  3d,  by  the  municipal  police  going  round  and  pasting  up  placards, 
informing  the  citizens  of  New  York,  that  all  persons  Icrtting  on  nreworks 
would  be  taken  into  custody,  which  notice  was  immediately  fbllowed  up 
by  the  little  boys  proving  their  independence  of  the  authorities,  by  letting 
off  squibs,  crackers,  and  bombs,  and  cannons,  made  out  of  shin  bones, 
which  flew  in  the  face  of  every  passenger,  in  the  extra  ratio  that  the 
little  boys  flew  in  the  face  of  the  authorities.     This  continued  the  whole 
nieht,  and  thus  was  ushered  in  the  great  and  glorious  day,  illumined  by 
a  bright  and  glaring  sun  (as  if  bespoken  on  purpose  by  the  mayor  and 
coiporation),  with  the  thermometer  at  90<=>  in  the  shade.     The  first  sight 
which  met  the  eye  after  sunrise,  was  the  precipitate  escape,  from  a  city 
visited  with  the  plague  of  gunpowder,  of  respectable  or  timorous  people 
in  coaches,  carriages,  wagons,  and  every  variety  of  vehicle.     "  My  king- 
dom for  a  horse  !"  was  the  general  cry  of  all  those  who  could  not  stand 
fire.     In  the  mean  while,  the  whole  atmosphere  was  filled  with  indepen- 
dence.    Such  was  the  quantity  of  American  flags  which  were  hoisted  on 
board  of  thS  vesseU ,  hung  out  of  windows,  or  carried  about  by  little  boys, 
that  you  saw  more  stars  at  noon-day  than  ever  coul^  be  counted  on  the 
brightest  night.    On  each  side  of  the  whole  length  of  Broadway,  were 
ranged  booths  and  stands,  similar  to  those  at  an  English  fair,  and  on 
which  were  displayed  small  plates  of  oytsters,  with  a  fork  stuck  in  the 
board  opposite  to  each  plate ;  clams  sweltering  in  the  hot  sun ;  pine- 
apples, boiled  hams,  pies,  puddings,  barley-sugar,  aud  many  other  mde- 


^ 


n 


DUBT  IN  iMISIOl. 


I    't*. 


■eribablei.  But  what  was  most  remarkable,  Broadway  being  three  miles 
long,  and  the  booths  lining  each  side  ^of  it,  in  every  booth  there  was  a 
roast  pig,  large  or  small,  as  the  centre  attraction.  Six  miles  of  roast  pig  ! 
and  that  in  New  York  city  alone  ;  and  roast  pig  in  every  other  city,  town, 
hamlet,  and  village  in*  the  Union.  What  association  can  there  be  be- 
4^  tween  roast  pig  and  independence  1  Let  it  hot  be  supposed  that  there 
was  any  deficiency  in  the  very  necessary  articles  of  potation  on  this 
auspicious  day  :  no !  the  booths  were  loaded  with  porter,  ale,  cider,  mead, 
brandy,  wine,  singer-beer,  pop,  soda-water,  whiskey,  rum,  punch,  gin- 
slings,  cocktails,  mint-juleps,  besides  many  other  compounds,  to  name 
which  nothing  but  the  luxuriance  of  American-English  could  invent  a 
vrord.  Certamly  the  preparations  in  the  refreshment  way  were  most  im« 
posing,  and  gave  you  some  idea  of  what  had  to  be  gone  through  with  pn 
this  auspicious  day.  Martial  music  sounded  from  a  dozen  quarters  at 
^  once  ;  and  as  you  turn  your  head,  you  lacked  to  the  first  bars  of  a  march 
from  one  band,  the  concluding  bars  of  Yankee  Doodlu  from  another.  At 
last  the  troops  of  militia  and  volunteers,  who  had  been  gathering  iit  the 
park  and  other  sauares,  made  thnir  appearance,  well  dressed  and  well 
equipped,  and,  in  honour  of  the  day,  marching  as  independently  9a  they 
well  could.  I  did  not  see  them  go  through  many  manoeuvres,  but  there 
was  one  which  they  appeared  to  excel  in,  and  that  was  grounding  arms 
and  eating  pies.  I  found  that  the  current  went  toward  Castle  Garden, 
and  away  I  went  with  it.  There  the  troops  were  all  collected  on  tho 
green,  shaded  t\y  the  trees',  and  the  eifuct  was  very  beautiful.  The  ar- 
tillery and  infantry  were  drawn  up  in  a  line  pointing  to 'the  water.  The 
officers  in  their  regimental  dresses  and  long  white  feathers,  generals  and 
aides-de-camp,  colonels,  commandants,  majors,  all  gallopmg  up  and 
down  in  front  of  the  line — white  horses  and  long  tails  appearing  tho 
most  fashionable  and  correct.  The  crowds  assembled  were,  as  Amerit 
can  crowds  usually  are,  quiet  and  well  behaved.  I  recognized  many  of 
my  literary  friends  turned  into  generals,  and  flourishing  tneir  swords  in- 
stead of  their  pens.  The  scene  was  very  animating ;  the  shipping  at 
the  wharves  were  loaded  with  star-spangled  banners ;  steamers  paddlins 
in  every  direction,  were  covered  with  lags ;  the  whole  beautiful  Soiina 
was  alive  with  boats  and  sailing  vessels,  all  flaunting  with  pennants  and 
streamers.  It  was,  as  Ducrow  would  call  it,  "A  Grand  Military  and 
Aquatic  Spectacle." 

Then  the  troops  marched  up  into  town  again,  and  so  did  I  follow  them 
aa  I  used  to  do  the  reviews  in  England^  when  a  boy>  All  creation  ap- 
peared to  be  independent  on  this  day  ;  some  of  the  horses  particularly  so, 
for  they  would  not  keep  "  in  no  line  not  no  how."  Some  preferred  going 
sideways  like  crabs,  others  went  backwards,  some  would  not  go  at  all, 
others  went  a  great  deal  too  fast,  and  not  a  few  parted  company  with 
their  riders,  whom  they  kicked  off  just  to  show  their  independence ;  but 
let  them  go  which  way  they  would,  they  could  not  avoid  the  squibs  and 
crackers.  And  the  women  were  in  the  same  predicament :  they  might 
dance  right,  or  dance  left,  it  was  only  out  of  the  frying-pan  into  the  fire, 
for  it  was  pop,  pop  ;  bang  ;  fiz,  pop,  bang,,  so  that  you  literally  trod,  upon 
gunpowder. 

When  the  troops  marched  up  Broadway,  louder  even  than  the  music 
were  to  be  heard  the  screams  of  delight  from  the  children  atjthe  crowded 
windows  on  each  side.  "  Ma  !  ma !  there's  pa  !"  "  Oh !  there's  John.'* 
"  Look  at  uncle  on  his  big  horse." 

The  troops  did  not  march  in  very  good  order,  because,  independenttji 


BUtT  IN  AHIMIOA. 


83 


of  their  not  knowing  how,  there  wu  a  great  deal  of  independence  to  eon- 
tend  with.  At  one  time  an  omnibua  and  four  would  drive  in  and  cut  off 
the  general  and  his  stafT  from  hie  division ;  at  another,  a  cart  would  roll 
in  and  insist  upon  following  close  upon  the  band  of  music  ;  so  that  it  waa 
a  mixed  procession— generals,  omnibua  and  four,  music,  cart-loads  of 
bricks,  troops,  omnibus  and  pair,  artillery,  hackney-coach,  jka.  &c.  Not> 
withstanding  all  this,  they  at  last  arrived  at  the  City  Hall,  when  those 
who  were  old  enough  hoard  tho  Declaration  of  Independence  read  for  the 
sixty-first  time ;  and  then  it  was — "  Begone,  brave  army,  and  don't  kick 
up  a  row."  i 

I  was  invited  to  dine  with  the  mayor  and  corporation  at  the  City  Hall. 
We  sat  down  in  the  Hall  of  Justice,  and  certainly,  great  justice  was  done 
to  the  dinner,  which  (as  the  wife  says  to  her  husband  after  a  party, 
where  ,the  second  course  follows  the  first  with  unusual  celerity)  "  went 
off  remarkably  well."  The  crackers  popped  outside,  and  the  champaign 
popped  in.  The  celerity  of  the  Americans  at  a  public  dinner  is  very 
commendable  ;  they  speak  only  nbw  and  then ;  and  the  toasts  follow  so 
fast,  that  you  have  just  time  to  empty  your  glass,  before  you  are  request- 
ed  to  fill  again.  Thus  the  arranged  toasts  went  off  rapidly,  and  after 
them,  any  one  might  withdraw.  I  waited  till  the  thirteenth  toast,  tho 
last  on  the  paper,  to  wit,  the  ladies  of  America ;  and,  having  previously, 
in  a  speech  from  the  recorder,  bolted  Bunker's  Hill  and  New  Orleans,  I 
thouffht  I  might  as  well  bolt  myself,  as  I  wished  to  see  the  fire-works, 
which  were  to  be  very  splendid. 

Unless  you  are  an  amateur,  there  is  no  occasion  to  go  to  the  various 
places  of  public  amusement  where  the  fireworks  are  let  off,  for  they  are 
sent  up  everywhere  in  such  quantities  that  you  hardly  know  which  way 
to  turn  your  eyes.  It  is,  however,  advisable  to  go  mto  some  place  of 
safety,  for  the  little  boys  and  the  big  boys  have  all  got  their  supply  <tf 
rockets,  which  they  fire  off  in  the  streets — some  runmng  horizontally  up 
the  pavement,  and  sticking  into  the  back  of  a  passeneer ;  and  others 
mounting  slantingdicularly  and  Paul-Prying  into  the  bed-room  windowi 
on  the  third  floor  or  attics,  just  to  bob  how  things  are  going  on  there. 
Look  in  any  point  of  the  compass,  and  you  will  see  a  shower  of  rockets 
in  the  sky:  turn  from  New  York  to  Jersey  City,  from  Jersey  City  to 
Brooklyn,  and  shower  is  answered  by  shower  on  either  side  of  tho  water. 
Hobokon  repeats  the  signal :  and  thus  it  is  carried  on  to  the  east,  the 
west,  the  north,  and  the  south,  from  Rhode  Island  to  the  Missouri,  from 
the  Canada  frontier  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  At  the  various  gardens  the 
combinations  were  very  beautiful,  and  exceeded  anything  that  I  had  wit- 
nessed in  London  or  Paris.  What  with  sea-serpents,  giant  rockets  scaling 
heaven,  Bengal  lights,  Chinese  fires,  Italian  suns,  fairy  bowers,  crowns 
of  Jupiter,  exeranlhemums,  Tartar  temples,  Vesta's  diadems,  magic  cir- 
cles, morning  glories,  stars  of  Columbia,  and  temples  of  liberty,  all  Ame- 
rica was  in  a  blaze  ;  and,  in  addition  to  thia  mode  of  manifesting  its  joy, 
all  America  was  tipsy. 

There  is  something  grand  in  the  idea  of  a  national  intoxication.  In 
this  world,  vices  on  a  gran  1  scale  dilate  into  virtues ;  ha  who  murders  one 
man  is  strung  up  with  ignominy  ;  but  he  who  murders  twenty  thousand 
has  a  statue  to  his  memory,  and  is  handed  down  to  posterity  as  a  hero. 
A  staggering  individual  is  a  laughable  and,  sometimes,  a  disgusting  spee- 
tacle  ;  but  the  whole  of  a  vast  continent  reeling,  offering  a  holocaust  of 
its  brains  for  mercies  vouchsafed,  is  an  appropriate  tribute  of  gratitude  for 
the  rights  of  equality  and  the  levelling  spirit  of  their  institutions. 


DU«r  IN  AHIKIOA. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Onoi  more  flying  up  the  noble  Hudson.  After  vou  have  pawed  West 
Point,  the  highlands,  through  which  the  river  has  forced  its  passage,  gra« 
dually  diminish,  and,  as  the  thoro  becomes  level,  so  does  the  country 
become  more  fertile. 

We  passed  the  manor  of  Albany,  as  it  is  called,  beinff  a  Dutch  grant 
of  land,  now  in  the  possession  of  one  person,  a  Mr.  Van  Rensselaer,  and 
eqatA  to  many  a  German  principality,  being  twenty  miles  by  forty-eight 
miles  square.  Mr.  Van  Rensselaer  still  retains  the  old  title  of  patroon. 
It  is  generally  supposed  in  England  that,  in  America,  all  property  must 
be  divided  between  the  children  at  the  decease  of  the  parent.  This  is 
not  the  case.  The  entailing  of  estates  was  abolished  by  an  act  of  con- 
gress in  1788,  but  a  man  may  will  away  his  property  entirely  to  his  eldest 
son  if  he  pleases.  This  is,  however,  seldom  done  ;  public  opinion  ia  too 
strong  against  it,  and  tlie  Americans  fear  public  opinion  beyond  the  grave. 
Indeed,  were  a  man  so  to  act,  the  other  claimants  would  probably  appeal 
to  have  the  will  set  uside  upon  the  grounds  of  lunacy,  and  the  sympathy 
ot  an  American  jury  would  decree  in  their  favour. 

As  you  ascend  to  Albany  city,  the  banks  of  the  river  are  very  fertile 
and  beautiful,  and  the  river  is  spotted  with  many  very  picturesque  little 
islands.  The  country  seats,  which  friilge  the  whole  line  of  shore,  are  all 
built  in  the  «ame,  and  very  bad,  style.  Every  house  or  tenement,  be  it 
a  palace  or  a  cottage,  has  its  porticos  and  pillars — a  string  of  petty  Par- 
thenons,  which  tire  you  by  their  uniformity  and  pretence. 

I  had  intended'  to  stop  at  Hudson,  that  I  might  proceed  from  thence  to 
New  Lebanon,  to  visit  the  shaking  quakers;  but,  as' I  discovered  that 
there  was  a  community  of  them  not  five  miles  from  Trov,  I,  to  avoid  a 
fatiguing  journey,  left  Albany,  and  continued  on  to  that  city. 

Albany  is  one  of  the  oldest  Dutch  settlements,  and  among  its  i)  habi- 
tants are  to  be  found  many  of  the  descendants  of  %he  Dutch  aiistocracy. 
Indeed,  it  may  even  now  be  considered  as  a  Dutch  city.  It  is  the  capital 
of  the  state  of  New  York,  with  a  population  of  nearly  30,000.  Its  com- 
merce is  very  extensive,  as  it  is  here  that  the  Erie  canal  communications 
with  the  far  west,  as  well  as  the  eastern  states,  debouche  into  the  Hudson. 

We  have  here  a  singular  proof,  not  only  of  the  rapidity  with  which 
cities  rise  in  America,  but  als6  how  superior  energy  will  overcome  every 
disadvantage.  Little  more  than  twenty  years  ago,  Albany  stood  by  it- 
self, a  large  and  populous  city  without  a  rival,  but  its  population  was 
chiefly  Dutch.  The  Yankees  from  the  eastern  states  came  down  and 
settled  themselves  at  Troy,  not  five  miles  distant,  in  opposition  to  them. 
It  would  be  supposed  that  Albany  could  have  crushed  this  city  in  its  birth, 
but  it  could  not,  and  Troy  is  now  a  beautiful  city,  with  its  mayor,  its  cor- 
poration, and  a  population  of  20,000  souls,  and  divides  the  commerce 
with  Albany,  from  which  most  of  the  eastern  trade  has  been  ravished. 
The  inhabitants  of  Albany  are"  termed  Albanians,  those  of  Troy,  Trojans  ! 
In  one  feature  these  cities  are  very  similar,  being  bqth  crowded  with 
lumber  and  pretty  girls. 

I  went  out  to  see  the  shakers  at  Niskayuna.  So  much  has  already 
been  said  about  their  tenets  that  I  shall  not  repeat  them,  farther  than  to 
observe,  that  all  their  goods  are  in  common,  and  that,  although  the  sexes 
mix  together,  they  profess  the  vows  of  celibacy  and  chastity.  Their 
lands  are  in  excellent  order,  and  they  are  said  to  be  very  rich.*" 

*  I  should  be  very  sorry  to  take  away  the  character  of  any  community. 


ip^ ' 


■^iSkmMm^ 


« 


DURT  IN  AMBMOA. 


35 


y  community^ 


We  were  admitted  into  a  long  room  on  the  ground-floor,  where  the 
ehakera  were  aeated  on  forma,  the  men  oppoaite  to  the  women,  and  apart 
from  each  other.  The  men  were  in  their  waiatcoata  and  ahirt-aleeveo, 
twiddling  their  thumba,  and  looking  awfully  puritanical.  The  women 
were  attired  in  dreaaea  of  very  light  atiriped  cotton,  which  hung  about 
them  like  full  dresaing-gowna,  aniTconcealed  all  ahape  and  propottiona. 
A  plain  mob-cap  on  their  heada,  and  a  thick  muelin  handkercnief^in  many 
folaa  over  their  ahouldera,  completed  their  attire.  They  each  held  in 
their  handa  a  pocket-handkerchief  aa  large  aa  a  towel,  and  of  almoat  the 
same  aubstance.  But  the  appearance  of  the  women  waa  melancholy  and 
.unnatural ;  I  aay  unnatural,  becauae  it  required  to  be  accountea  for. 
They  had  all  the  advantages  of  ezerciae  and  labour  in  the  open  air<  good 
food,  and  good  clolhinff ;  they  were  not  overworked,  for  they  are  not  j^e- 
quired  to  work  more  than  tliey  pleaae  ;  and  yet  there  waa  aomething  ao 
pallid,  80  unearthly  in  their  complexiona,  that  it  gave  you  the  idea  that 
they  had  been  taken  up  from  their  coffina  a  few  hours  after  their  deceaae  i 
not  a  hue  of  health,  not  a  veatige  of  colour  in  any  cheek  or  lip ;— oni'* 
cadaverous  yellow  tinge  prevailed.  And  yet  there  were  to  be  aeen  amnj 
facea  very  beautiful,  aa  far  as  regarded  outline,  but  they  were  the  featarea 
of  the  beautiful  in  death.  I'he  men,  on  the  contrary,  were  ruddy,  atrong, 
and  vigorous.  Why,  then^  thia  diifference  between  the  sexes,  where 
they  each  performed  the  same  duties,  where  none  were  taxed  beyond 
their  atrength,  and  all  were  well  fed  and  clothed  1 

After  a  silence  of  ten  minutes,  one  of  the  men  of  the  community,  evi* 
dently  a  coarse  and  illiterate  person,  rose  and  addressed  a  few  worda  to 
the  apectators,  requeating  them  not  to  laugh  at  what  they  aaw,  but  to 
behave  themselves  properly,  dec,  and  then  he  aat  down. 

One  of  the  leaders  then  burst  out  into  a  hymn,  to  a  jigging  aort  of 
tune,  and  all  the  others  joined  chorus.  After  the  hymn  WM  aong  they 
all  rose,  put  away  the  forma  on  which  they  had  been  seated,  and  stood  in 
Hues,  eignt  in  a  row,  men  and  women  separate,  facing  each  other,  and 
about  ten  feet  apart — the  ranks  of  men  being  flanked  by  the  boys,  b.id 
those  of  the  women  by  the  girls.  They  commenced  their  dancing  by 
advancing  in  rows,  just  about  as  far  as  profane  people  do  in  L'iti  when 
they  dance  quadrilles,  and  then  retreated  the  same  distance,  all  keeping 
regular  time,  and  turning  back  to  back  after  every  third  advance.  The 
movement  was  rather  quick,  and  they  danced  to.  their  own  ainging,  of 
the  following  beautiful  composition  :— 

Law,  law,  de  lawdel  law, 
Law,  law,  de  law, 
Law,  law,  de  lawdel  law, 
'  Lawdel,  lawdel,  law, 

keeping  time  also  with  the  hands  as  well  as  feet,  the  former  raised  up  to 
the  chest,  and  hanging  down  like  the  fore-paws  of  a  dancing  bear.  After 
a  quarter  of  an  hour  they  eat  down  again,  and  the  women  made  use  of 
their  large  towel  pocket-handkerchiefs  to  wipe  off  the  perspiration.  An^ 
other  hymn  was  sung,  and  then  the  same  person  addressed  the  spectators, 

but,  as  I  was  a  little  sceptical  as  to  the  possibility  of  the  vow  of  chastity 
being  observed  under  circumstances  above  alluded  to,  I  made  some  inqui- 
ries, and  having  met  with  one  who  had  seceded  from  the  fraternity,  I  disco- 
vered that  my  opinion  of  human  nature  was  correct,  and  the  conduct  of  the 
shakers  not  altogether  so.  I  must  not  enter  into  details,  as  they^  would  be 
unfit  for  publication. 


i 


ae 


BUBV  IN  AlllBICA. 


.p 


rMUMting  (h«m  not  to  laagh,  and  inquiring  if  any  of  them  felt  a  wish 
to  M  Mvcd — adding  "  Not  one  of  you,  I  don*t  think,"  He  looked  round 
at  all  of  us  with  the  moat  ineffable  contempt,  and  then  sat  down,  and  they 
■apg  another  hymn,  the  burden  of  which  waa— 

'*  Our  aouls  an  aaved,  and  we  are  free 
From  vice  and  all  in>i-quity," 

which  waa  a  very  comfortable  delusion,  at  all  eventa. 

Thev  thon  rose  again,  put  away  the  forma  as  before,  and  danced  in  an* 
other  fashion.  Instead  of  Vitit  it  was  Grande  Ronde.  About  ten  men 
and  women  stood  in  two  lines  in  the  centre  of  the  room,  as  a  vocal  band 
of  ronaic,  while  all  the  others,  two  and  two,  women  first  and  men  follow* 
ing,  promenaded  round,  with  a  short  quick  step,  to  the  tune  chanted  in  the 
centre.  As  they  went  round  and  round,  shaking  their  paws  up  and  down 
before  thrm,  the  scene  was  very  absurd,  and  I  could  have  laughed  had  I 
not  felt  disgusted  at  such]  a  degradation  of  rational  and  immortal  beinga. 
Thia  dance  lasted  a  long  while,  until  the  music  turned  to  croaking,  and 
the  perspiration  waa  abundant ;  they  stoppedat  last,  and  then  announced 
that  ^eir  exercise  was  finished.  I  waited  a  little  while  after  the  main 
body  had  dispersed,  to  speak  with  one  of  the  elders.  '*  I  will  be  with 
yon  directly,"  replied  he,  walking  hastily  away ;  but  he  never  came  back. 

I  never  heard  the  principle  upon  which  they  dance.  David  danced  be« 
fore  the  trk  ;  but  it  la  to  be  preaumed  that  David  danced  as  well  aa  he 
aung.  At  least  he  thought  so ;  for  when  hia  wife  Michal  laughed  at 
him,  he  made  her  conduct  a  ground  of  divorce. 

Every  community  which  works  in  common,  and  is  provided  for  in  the 
mass,  must  become  rich,  especially  when  it  has  no  children  to  maintain. 
It  is  like  receivine  a  person's  labour  in  exchange  for  victuals  and  clothing 
only,  and  thia  is  aU  I  can  perceive  that  can  be  said  in  favour  of  these  peo- 
ple. Suffice  it  to  say,  I  have  a  very  bad  opinion  of  them :  and  weri^^I 
disposed  to  dilate  on  the  subject,  I  should  feel  no  incUnation  to  treat  them 
with  the  lenity  shown  to  them  by  other  travellera. 

From  this  mockery,  I  went  to  see  what  had  a  real  tendency  to  make 
you  feel  religious — the  Falls  of  the  Mohawk,  abodt  three  miles  from  Troy. 
Picturesque  and  beautiful  as  all  falling  water  is,  to  describe  it  is  ez« 
tremely  difficult,  unless,  indeed  by  a  forced  simile  ;  the  flow  of  language 
i$  tdo  tame  for  the  flow  of  water ;  but  if  the  reader  can  imagine  a  ledge 
of  black  rocks,  about  sixty  or  seventy  feet  high,  and  that  over  this  ledge 
was  polircd  simultaneously  tho  milk  of  some  millions  of  cows,  he  will  then 
have  some  idea  of  the  beauty  of  the  creaming  Falls  of  the  Mohawk,  im- 
bedded  as  they  arn  in  their  wild  and  luxuriant  scenery. 

Close  to  the  Falls,  I  perceived  a  few  small  wooden  shealings,  appear- 
ing, under  the  majestic  trees  which  overshadowed  them,  more  like  dog- 
kennels  than  the  habitations  of  men  :  they  were  tenanted  by  Irish  emi- 
rants,  who  had  taken  work  at  the  new  locks  forming  on  the  Erie  canal, 
went  up  to  them.  In  a  tenement  About  fourieeii'  feet  by  ten,  lived  an 
Irishman,  bis  wife,  and  family,  and  seven  boys  as  he  called  them,  young 
men  from  twenty  to  thirty  years  of  age,  who  boarded  with  him.  There 
was  but  one  bed,  on  which  slept  the  man,  his  wife,  and  family.  Above 
the  bed  were  some  planks,  extending  halfway  the  length  of  the  chealing, 
and  there  slept  the  seven  boys,  without  any  mattress,  or  even  straw,  to 
lie  upon.  I  entered  into  conversation  with  them :  they  complained  bit- 
terly of  the  times,  saying  that  their  pay  was  not  23.  6d.  of  our  mone^^per 
day,  and  that  they  could  not  live  upon  it.     This  was  true,  but  the  dis- 


r 


BIAST  IN   IM'tRICi. 


tTMi  had  been  communicated  to  tU  parta,  and  they  werii  fortunate  in 
finding  work  at  all,  aa  mo«t  of  the  public  worka  had  b«en  diacontinuad. 
I  montienod  to  them  that  the  price  of  labour  in  Ohio,  Illinoia,'and  th« 
Weat,  waa  aaid  to  be  two  dollara  a^day  and  uked  them,  why  they  did  not 
go  there  t  I'hey  replied,  that  auch  u  ■■*  th«  price  quoted,  to  induce  peo- 
ple to  go,  but  tliat  they  never  could  finu  ii  when  they  arrived  ;  that  the  clear* 
ing  of  new  landa  waa  attended  with  ague  and  fever;  and  that  if  once 
down  with  theae  diaeaaes  there  waa  no  one  to  help  them  to  riae  again.  I 
looked  for  the  pig,  and  there  be  waa,  aure  enopgh,  under  the  bed. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Trot,  like  a  modern  academy,  ia  clasaical,  aa  well  aa  commereiali 
having  Mount  Olympua  on  one  aide,  and  Mount  Ida  in  ita  rear.  The 
panorama  from  the  aummit  of  the  latter  ia  aplendid.  A  few  yean  back  a 
portion  of  Mount  Ida  made  a  slip,  and  the  avalanche  deatroyed  aeveral 
cottagea  and  five  or  aix  individuala.  The  avalanche  took  place  on  a  dark 
night  and  in  a  heavy  anow  storm.  Two  brick  kilna  were  lighted  at  Ih* 
time,  and,  aa  the  mountain  swept  them  'away,  the  blaie  of  the  diatuAed 
firea  called  out  the  fire-engiuea,  otherwise  more  Uvea  would  have  bfei.' 
loat.  Houaea,  atablea,  and  sheds  were  all  hurled  awav  together.  Horaen, 
children,  and  women  rolled  together  in  confusion.  One  child  h>d  a  very 
atranse  escape.  It  had  been  forced  out  of  ita  bed,  and  waa  fotmd  on  tb* 
top  or  a  huge  mass  of  clay,  weighins  forty  or  fifty  tone  ;  he  waa  crying, 
and  asking  who  had  put  him  there.  Had  all  the  inhabitanta  of  the  cottage* 
been  withm,  at  least  forty  must  have  perished  ;  but  notwithstanding  the 
aeverity  of  the  weather,  the  day  bein?  Sunday,  they  had  all  gone  to  even- 
ing meeting,  and  thus,  being  good  Christiana,  they  were  for  once  reward' 
ed  for  it  on  this  side  of  the  grave. 

Aa  I  surveyed  the  busy  scene  below  me,  the  gentleman  who  accompa* 
nted  me  io  the  summit  of  the  mountain,  informed  me  that  forty-three 
yearn  ago  his  father  was  the  first  settler,  and  that  then  there  waa  but  his 
one  hut  in  the  place  whore  now  stQod  the  splendid  town. 

But  signs  of  the  times  were  manifest  here  also.  Commerce  had  atop- 
ped  for  the  present,  and  a  long  line  of  canal  boata  were  laid  up  for  want 
of  employment. 

I  remained  two  hours  perched  upon  the  top  of  the  mountain.  I  ehculd 
not  have  staid  so  lonsp,  pierhapa,  had  they  not  brought  me  a  baaket  of  cher* 
ties,  so  that  I  could  gratify  more  senses  than  one.  I  felt  becomingly  claa- 
sical  whilst  sitting  on  the  precise  birthplace  of  Jupiter,  attended  by 
Pomona,  with  Troy  at  my  feet,  and  Mount  Olympus  in  the  diatance  ;  but 
I  was  obliged  to  descend  to  lumber  and  gin-slings,  and  I  set  off  for  Alba- 
ny, where  I  had  an  engagement,  having  been  invited  to  attend  at  the  ex« 
aminatiun  of  the  yonng  ladiee  at  the  seminary.  "^  -;^  < 

Here  again  is  a  rivalry  between  Albany  and. Troy,  each  of  ^m  gidry* 
ing  m  possessing  the  largest  seminary  for  the  education  of  yo^lpg  ladiea^ 
who  are  sent  from  every  state  of  the  Union,  to  be  finished  off  ft  one  or 
the  other  of  them.  Here,  and  indeed  in  many  other  establishmenta,  the 
young  ladies  upon  quitting  it  have  diplomas  given  to  them,  if  they  paaa 
their  examinations  satisfactorily  They  are  educated  upon  a  system 
which  would  satisfy  even  Miss  Martineau,  and  prepared  to  exercise  the 
rights  of  which  she  complains  that  women  have  been  so  unjustly  deprived. 
Conceive  three  hundred  modern  Portias,  who  regularly  take  their  degrees, 
and  emerge  from  the  portico  of  the  seminary  full  of  algebra,  equality,  and 


HP"' 


98 


SURY  IN   AVBBIOA. 


the  theory  of  the  conititution !  The  quantity  and  variety  ci«inmed  into 
them  is  beyond  all  calculation  The  examination  takes  place  yearly,  to 
prove  to  the  parents  that  the  preceptors  have  done  their  duty,  and  is  in 
Itself  very  innocent,  as  it  only  causes  the  young  ladies  to  blush  a  little. 

This  afternoon  they  were  examined  in  algebra,  and  their  performance 
was  very  creditable.  Under  a  cei  tain  age  girls  are  certainly  much  quicker 
than  boys,  and  I  presume  would  retain  what  they  learnt  if  it  were  not  for 
their  subsequent  duties  in  making  puddings  and  nursing  babies.  Yet 
these  are  affairs  which  must  be  attended  to  by  one  sex  or  the  other,  and 
of  what  use  can  algebra  and  other  abstruse  matters  be  to  a  woman  in  her 
present  state  of  domestic  thraldom. 

The  theory  of  the  American  constitution  was  the  next  subject  on 
which  they  were  examined;  by  their  replies,  this  appeared  to  be  to  them 
more  abstruse  than  algebra  ;  but  the  fact  is,  women  are  born  tories,  and 
admit  no  other  than  petticoat  government  as  legitimate. 

The  next  day  we  again  repaired  to  the  hall,  and  French  was  the  lan- 
gnage  in  which  they  were  to  be  examined,  and  the  examination  afforded 
us  much  amusement. 

The  young  ladies  sat  down  in  rows  on  one  side  of  the  room.  In  the 
.centre,  towards  the  end,  was  an  easel,  on  which  was  placed  a  large  black 
board,  on  which  they  worked  with  chalk  the  questions  in  algebra,  &c. — a 
towel  hanging  to  it,  that  they  might  wipe  out  and  correct.     The  French 

Keceptor,  an  old  Emigr^  Count,  sat  down  with  the  examiners  before  the 
lard,  the  visiters  (chiefly  composed  of  anxious  papas  and  mammas)  being 
seated  on  benches  behind  them.  As  it  happened,  I  had  taken  my  seat 
dose  to  the  examining  board,  and  at  some  little  distance  from  the  other 
persons  who  were  deputed,  or  invited  to  attend.  I  don't  know  how  I 
came  there.  I  belieVe  I  had  come  too  late ;  but  there  I  was;  within  < 
three  feet  of  every  young  lady  who  came  up  to  the  board. 

*'  Now,  messieurs,  have  the  kindness  to  ask  any  question  you  please/' 
•aid  the  old  Count.  "  Mademoiselle  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  step 
forward."  A  question  was  proposed  in  English,  which  the  young  lady 
had  to  write  down  in  French.  The  very  first  went  wrons :  I  perceived 
it,  an^  without  looking  at  her,  pronounced  the  right  word,  so  that  she 
could  hear  it.  She  caught  it,  rubbed  out  the  wrong  word  with  the  towel, 
and  rectified  it.  This  was  carried  on  through  the  whole  sentence,  and 
then  she  retreated  from  the  board  that  her  work  might  be  examined. 
*'  Very  well,  very  well,  indeed.  Miss  c'est  parfaitement  bien  ;"  and  the 
young  ladv  sat  down  blushing.  Thus  were  they  all  called  up,  and  one 
after  another  prompted  by  me  ;  and  the  old  Count  was  deUghted  at  the 
luccesu  of  his  pupils. 

Now,  what  amused  me  in  *h^s  was  the  little  bit  of  human  nature ;  the 
tact  displayed  by  the  sex,  which  appears  to  be  innate,  apd  which  never 
deserts  them.  Had  I  prompted  a  boy,  he  would  most  likely  have  turned 
his  head  round  toward  mo,  and  thus  have  revealed  what  I  was  about ; 
Imt  not  one  of  the  whole  class  was  guilty  of  such  indiscretion.  They 
heard  me,  rubbed  out,  conected,  waited  for  the  word  when  they  did  not 
know  it,  but  never  \y  any  look  or  sign  made  it  appear  that  there  was  any 
understanding  between  us.  Their  eyes  were  constantly  fixed  on  the 
board,  and  they  appeared  not  to  know  that  I  was  in  the  room.  It  was 
really  beautiful.  When  the  examination  was  over,  I  received  a  look 
from  them  all,  half  comic,  half  serious,  which  amply  repaid  me  for  my  as- 
■istance. 

As  young  ladies  are  assembled  here  from  every  state  of  the  Union,  it 


:-i.:^'>ii 


.m^^^ 


y><f 


DIAKT  IN  AMBRIOA. 


wu  a  fair  criterion  of  American  beauty,  and  it  must  be  acknowledged 
that  the  American  women  are  the  prettiest  in  the  whole  world 


I  was;  within 


l.;;,;f! 


f  the  Union,  it 


CHAPTER  XI. 

SAiiATOOASiRiNas.-^Watering  places  all  over  the  world  are  much 
alike  :  they  must  be  well  filled  with  company,  and  full  of  bustle,  and  then 
they  answer  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  intended — a  general  muster, 
under  the  banner  of  folly,  to  drive  care  and  common  sense  out  of  the 
field.  Like  assembly-rooms,  unless  lighted  up  and  full  of  people,  they 
look  'desolate  and  forlorn :  so  it  was  with  Saratoga :  a  beautiful  spot, 
beautiful  hotels,  and  beautiful  Water ;  but  all  these  beauties  were  thrown 
away,  and  the  water  ran  away  unheeded,  because  the  place  Was  empty. 
People's  pockets  were  empty,  and  Saratoga  was  to  let.  The  consequence 
was  that  I  remained  a  week  there,  and  should  have  remained  much  lonj|er 
had  I  not  been  warned,  by  repeated  arrivals,  that  the  visiters  were  m- 
creasing,  and  that  I  should  be  no  longer  alone. 

The  weariness  of  solitude,  as  described  by  Alexander  Selkirk  and  the 
Anti-Zimmermanns,  can  surely  not  be  equal  to  the  misery  of  never  being 
alone  ;  of  feeling  that  your  thoughts  and  ideas,  rapidly  accumulating,  are 
in  a  state  of  chaos  and  confusion,  and  that  you  have  not  a  moment  to  put 
them  into  any  lucid  order ;  of  finding  yourself,  against  your  will,  conti- 
nually in  society,  bandied  from  one  person  to  the  other,  to  make  the  same 
bows,  extend  the  same  hand  to  he  grasped,  and  reply  to  the  same  eternal 
questions  ;  until,  like  a  man  borne  down  by  sleep  after  long  vigils,  and 
at  each  moment  roused  to  reply,  you  either  are  not  aware  of  what  yoa 
do  say,  or  are  dead  beat  into  an  unmeaning  smile.  Since  I  have  been  in 
this  country,  I  have  suffered  this  to  such  a  degree  as  at  last  to  become 
quite  nervous  on  the  subject ;  and  I  might  reply  in  the  words  of  the  spirit 
summoned  by  Lochiel — 

"  Now  my  weary  lips  I  <*!:,:-», 
Leave,  oh !  leave  me  to  repose." 

It  would  be  a  strange  account,  had  it  been  possible  to  keep  one,  of  the 
number  of  introductions  which  I  have  had  since  I  came  into  this  country. 
Mr.  A  introduces  Mr.  B  and  C,  Mr.  B  and  O  introduce  Mr.  D,  E,  F, 
and  G.  Messrs.  D,  E,  F,  and  G,  introduces  Messrs.  H,  I,  J,  K,  L,  M, 
N,  O,  and  so  it  goes  on,  ad  infinitum  during  the  whole  of  the  day ;  and 
this  to  me  who  #eyer  could  remember  either  a  face  or  a  name. 

At  introduction  it  ib  invariably  the  custom  to  shake  hands ;  and  thus 
you  go  on  shaking  hands  here,  there,  and  everywhere,  and  with  every* 
body ;  for  it  is  impossible  to  know  who  is  who  in  this  land  of  equality. 

But  one  shake  of  the  hand  will  not  do ;  if  twenty  timen  during  the 
same  day  you  meet  a  person  to  whom  you  have  beej)  introduced,  the 
hand  is  everywhere  extended  with — "  Well,  captain,  how  do  you  find 
yourself  by  this  ttmeV  and,  in  their  good-will,  when  they  seize  your 
hand,  they  follow  the  apothecary's  advice — "  When  taken,  to  be  well 
shaken."  As  for  the  constant  query — "  How  do  you  like  our  country  1" 
— that  is  natural  enough.  I  should  ask  the  same  of  an  American  m  Eng^  • 
land,  but  to  reply  to  it  is  not  the  less  tedious.  It  is  all  well  meant,  utl 
kindness,  but  it  really  requires  fortitude  and  patience  to  endure  it.  Every 
one  throws  in  his  voluntary  tribute  of  compliments  and  good-will,  but  the 
accumulated  mass  is  too  great  for  any  one  individual  to  bear.  How  I 
long  for  the  ocean  prairies,  or  the  wild  forrsts,    Subsec^uently,  I  begged 


%- 


4a 


DIART   IN  AMERieA. 


^ 


hard  to  be  shut  up  for  six  months  ih  the  penitentiary  at  Philadelphia,  hot 
Sammy  Wood  said  it  was  against  the  regulations.  He  comforted  nie 
with  a  tite-tt-tete  dinner,  which  was  so  agreeable  that  at  the  time  I  quite 
forgot  I  wished  to  be  alone. 

When  I  left  Saratoga,  I  found  no  one,  as  I  thought,  in  the  car,  who 
knew  me  ;  and  I  determined,  if  possible,  they  should,  in  the  Indian  phrase, 
lose  my  trail.    I  arrived  at  Schenectady,  and  was  put  down  there.     I 
amused  myself  until  the  train  started  for  Utica,  which  was  to  be  in  a  few 
hours,  in  walking  about  the  engine-house,  and  examining  the  locomotives ; 
and  having  satisfied  myself,  set  out  for  a  solitary  walk  in  the  country. 
There  was  no  name  on  my  luggage,  and  I  had  not  given  my  name  when 
I  took  my  ticket  for  the  railroad.  "  At  last,*'  said  I  to  myself,   "  I  am  in- 
cog."   I  had  walked  out  of  the  engine-house,  looked  round  the  compassi 
and  resolved  in  which  direction  I  would  bend  my  stepd,  when  a  young 
xa«a  came  up  to  me,  and  very  politely  taking  off  his  hat,  said,  "  I  believe 
I  have  the  pleasure  of  speaking  to  Captain  M."    Had  he  known  my  in* 
dienation  when  he  mentioned  my  name,  poor  fellow  1  but  there  was  no 
h^p  for  it,  and  I  replied  in  the  affirmative.    After  apologizing,  he  intro- 
duced himselff  and  then  requested  the  liberty  of  introducing  his -.friend. 
••  Well,  if  ever,"  thought  I ;  and,  "  no  never,"  followed  afterward  as  a 
mtter  of  course,  and  as  a  matter  of  course  his  friend  was  introduced.  It 
leminded  me  of  old  times,  when,  midshipmen,  at  balls,  we  used  to  intro- 
duce each  other  to  ladies  we  had  none  of  us  seen  before  in  our  lives. 
Well,  there  I  was,  between  two  overpowering  civilities,  but  they  meant 
it  kindly,  and  I  could  not  be  angry.     These  were  students  of  Schenec- 
tady college :  would  I  like  to  see  it  1  a  beautiful  location,  not  half  a  mile 
off.    I  requested  to  know  if  there  was  anything  to  be  seen  there,  as  I 
did  not  like  to  take  a  hot  walk  for  nothing,  instead  of  the  sba^y  one  I  had 
proposed  for  myself.     "  Yes,  there  was  Professor  Nolt" — I  had  of  course 
heard  of  Professor  Nott. — Professor  Nott,  who  governed  by  moral  influ- 
ence and  paternal  sway,  and  who  had  written  so  largely  on  stones  and 
anthracite  coal.    I  had  never  before  heard  of  moral  influence,  stones,  or 
anthracite  coal.    Then  there  were  more  professors,  and  a  cabinet  of 
minerals — the  last  was  an  inducement,  and  I  went.  ' 

I  saw  Professor  Nott,  but  not  the  cabinet  of  minerals,  for  Professor 
Savage  had  the  key.  With  Professor  Nott  I  had  rather  a  hot  argument 
about  anthracite  coal,  and  then  escaped  before  he  was  cool  again.  The 
students  walked  back  with  me  to  the  hotel,  and,  with  many  apologies 
for  leaving  me,  informed  me  that  dinner  was  ready.  "F  would  not  tax 
their  politeness  any  Io.iger,  and  they  departed. 

Schenectady  College,  like  most  of  the  buildings  in  America,  was 
commenced  on  a  large  scale,  but  has  never  bee;,  finished  ;  the  two  wings 
are  finished,  and  the  centre  is  lithographed,  which  looks  very  imposing 
in  the  plate.  TWire  is  a  peculiarity  in  this  college :  it  is  called  the  Bo- 
tany Bay,  from  its  receivmg  young  men  who  have  been  expelled  from 
other  colleges,  and  who  are  kept  in  order  by  moral  influrnce  and  paternal 
,tway,  the  only  means,  certainly,  by  which  wild  young  men  are  to  be  re- 
claimed. Seriously  speaking,  Professor  Nott  is  a  very  clever  man,  and 
I  suspect  this  college  will  turn  out  more  clever  men  than  any  other  in 
the  Union.  It  differs  from  the  other  colleges  in  another  point.  It  up- 
holds no  peculiar  sect  of  religion,  which  almost  all  the  rest  do.  For 
instance,  Yale,  William's  Town,  and  Amherst  Colleges,  are  under  Pres- 
byterian influence ;  Washington,  Episcopal ;  Cambridge,  in  MassAchu^ 
setts,  Unitarian. 


'■^. 


OUKT  IN  aMIBICA. 


«lt 


'  There  is  one  disadvantage  generally  attending  raiboads.  Travellers 
proceed  more  rapidly,  but  they  lose  all  the  beauty  of  the  country. 
Railroads  of  course  run  through  the  most  level  portion  of  the  States  ; 
and  the  levels,  except  they  happen  to  be  on  the  banks  of  a  river,  are  in- 
variably uninteresting.  The  road  from  Schenectady  to  Utica  is  one  of 
the  exceptions  to  this  rule  :  there  is  not  perhaps  a  more  beautiful  variety 
of  scenery  to  be  found  anywhere.  You  run  tne  whole  way  through  the 
lovely  valley  of  the  Mohawk,  on  the  banks  of  the  Mohawk  river.  It 
was  really  delightful,  but  the  motion  was  so  rapid  that  you  lamented 
passing  by  so  »st.  The  Utica  railroad  is  one  of  the  best  in  America ; 
the  eighty  miles  are  performed  in  four  hours  and  a  half,  stoppages  for 
taking  in  water,  passengers,  and  refreshments,  included.  The  locomo- 
tive was  of  great  power,  and  as  it  snorted  along  with  a  train  of  carriages 
of  half  a  mile  long  in  tow,  it  threw  out  such  showers  of  fire,  that  we 
were  constantly  in  danger  of  coRflagration.  The  weather  was.  too  warm 
to  admit  of  the  windows  being  closed,  and  the  ladies,  assisted  by  the 
gentlemen,  were  constantly  employed  in  putting  out  the  sparks  which 
settled  on  their  clothes — the  first  time  I  ever  heard  ladies  complain  of 
having  too  many  sparks  about  them.  As  the  evening  closed  in  we  were- 
actually  whirled  along  through  a  stream  of  fiery  threads — a  beautiful, 
although  humble  imitation  of  the  tail  of  a  comet. 

I  had  not  been  recognized  in  the  rail  car,  and  I  again  flattered  mT> 
self  that  I  was  unknown.  I  proceeded,  on  my  arrival  at  Utica,  to  the 
hotel,  and  asking  at  the  bar  for  a  bed,  the  book  was  handed  to  me,  and 
I  was  requested  to  write  my  namet  Wherever  you  stop  in  America,  they 
generally  produce  a  book  and  demand  your  name,  not  on  account  of  any 
police  regulations,  but  merely  because  they  will  not  allow  secrets  in 
America,  and  because  they  choose  to  know  who  you  may  be.  Of  course 
you  may  frustrate  this  espionage  by  putting  down  any  name  you  please ; 
and  I  had  the  pen  in  my  hand,  and  was  just  thinking  whether  I  should 
be  Mr.  Snooks  or  Mr.  Smith,  when  I  received  a  .  up  on  the  shoulder, 
accompanied  with — "  Well,  Captain,  how  are  you  by  this  time  V  In 
despair  I  let  the  pen  drop  out  of  my  hand,  and,  instead  of  my  name,  I 
left  on  the  book  a  large  blot.  It  was  an  old  acquaintance  from  Albany*, 
and  before  I  had  b^en  ten  minutes  in  the  hotel,  I  wap  recognized  by  at 
least  ten  more.  The  Americans  are  such  locomotives  themselves,  that 
it  is  useless  to  attempt  the  incognito  in  any  part  except  the  west  side  of 
the  Mississippi,  or  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Once  known  at  New  York, 
and  you  are  known  everywhere,  for  in  every  place  you  will  meet  with 
some  one  whom  you  have  met  walking  in  Broadway. ' 

A  tremendous  thunder-storm  with  torrents  of  rain,  prevented  my 
leaving  Utica  for  Trenton  Falls  until  late  in  the  afternoon.  The  roads, 
ploughed  up  by  the  rain,  were  anything  but  democratic  ;  there  was  na 
level  in  them  ;  and  we  were  jolted  and  shaken  like  peas  in  a  rattle,  until 
we  were  silent  from  absolute  suffering. 

I  rose  the  next  morning  at  four  o'clock.  There  was  a  heavy  fog  in 
the  air,  and  you  could  not  distinguish  more  than  one  hundred  yards  be- 
fore you.  I  followed  the  path  pomted  out  to  me  the  night  before,  through 
a  forest  of  majestic  trees,  and  descending  a  long  flight  of  steps  found 
myself  below  the  Falls.  The  scene  impressed  you  with  awe — the  wa- 
ters roared  through  deep  chasms,  between  two  walls  of  rock,  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  high,  perpendicular  on  each  side,  and  the  width  be- 
tween the  two  varying  from  forty  to  fifty  feet.  The  high  rocks  were  of 
Vlack  carbonate  of  lime  in  perfectly  horizontal  strata,  so  equally  divided 


4S 


DtAltY  IN  AMtSICA. 


thai  they  appeared  like  solid  masonry.  For  fifty  or  sixty  feet  above  the 
lushing  waters  they  are  smooth  and  bare ;  above  that  line  vegetation 
commenced  with  small  bushes,  until  you  arrived  at  their  summits,  which 
were  crowned  with  splendid  forest  trees,  some  of  them  inclining  over  the 
chasm,  as  if  they  would  peep  into  the  abyss  below  and  witness  the  wild 
tumult  of  the  waters. 

From  the  narrowness  of  the  pass,  the  heignt  of  the  rocka,  and  the 
superadded  towering  of  the  trees  above,  but  a  small  portion  of  the  hea- 
vens was  to  be  seen,  and  this  was  not  blue,  bat  of  a  misty  murky  gray. 
The  first  sensation  was  that  of  dizziness  and  confusion,  from  tbe  un« 
usual  absence  of  the  sky  above,  and  the  dashing  frantic  speed  of  the 
angry  boiling  waters.  The  rocks  on  each  side  have  been  blasted  so  as 
to  form  a  path  by  which  you  may  walk  up  to  the  first  fall ;  but  this  path 
vras  at  times  very  harrow,  and  you  hs^ve  to  cling  to  the  chain  which  is 
let  into  the  rotik.  The  heavy  storms  of  the  day  before  had  swelled  the 
torrent  so  that  it  rose  nearly  a  foot  above  this  path  ;  and,  before  I  had 
proceeded  far,  I  found  that  the  liood  swept  between  my  legs  with  a 
iorce  which  would  have  taken  some  people  off  their  feet.  The  rapids 
below  the  Flails  are  much  grander  than  the  Falls  themselves  ;  there  was 
one  down  in  a  chasm  between  two  riven  rocks  which  it  was  painful  to 
look  long  upon,  and  watch  with  what  a  deep  plunge — what  irresistible 
force-~the  waters  dushed  down  and  then  returned  to  their  own  surface, 
as  if  struggling  and  out  of  breath.  As  I  stood  over  them  in  their  wild 
career,  listening  to  their  roaring  as  if  in  anger,  and  watching  the  mad- 
ness of  their  speed,  I  felt  a  sensation  of  awe — an  inward  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  tremendous  power  of  Nature  ;  and,  after  a  time,  I  departed 
Mrith  feelings  of  gladness  to  escape  from  thought  which  became  painful 
'  when  so-  near  to  danger. 

I  gained  the  lower  falls,  which  now  covered  the  whole  width  of  the 
rock,  which  they  seldom  do  except  during  the  freshets.  Tney  were  ex- 
traordinary from  their  variety.  On  the  side  where  I  stood,  poured  down 
a  rapid  column  of  water  about  one-half  of  the  width  of  the  fall ;  on  the 
other,  it  was  running  over  a  clear  thin  stream,  as  gentle  and  amiable  as 
water  could  be.  That  part  of  the  fall  reminded  me  of  ladies'  hair  in 
flowing  ringlets,  and  the  one  nearest  me  of  the  Lord  Chancellor  Eldon, 
in  all  the  pomposity  and  frowning  dignity  of  his  full-bottomed  wig.  And 
then  I  thought  of  the  lion  and  the  lamb,  not  lying  down,  but  falling  down 
together  ;  and  then  I  thought  that  I  was  wet  through,  which  was  a  fact ; 
so  I  climbed  up  a  ladder,  and  came  to  a  wooden  bridge  above  the  fall, 
vrhich  conveyed  me  to  the  other  side.  The  bridge  passes  over  a  stair- 
case of  little  falls,  sometimes  diagonally,  sometimes  at  right  angles  with 
the  sites,  and  is  very  picturesque  On  the  other  side  you  climb  up  a 
ladder  of  one  hundred  feet,  and  arrivd^at  a  little  building  with  a  portico, 
where  travellers  are  refreshed.  Here  you  have  a  view  of  all  the  upper 
falls,  but  these  seem  tame  after  witnessing  the  savage  impetuosity  of  the 
rapids  below.  You  ascend  another  ladder  of  one  hundred  feet,  and  you 
arrive  at  a  path  pointed  out  to  you  by  the  broad  chips  of  the  woodman's 
axe.  Follow  the  chips  and  you  will  arrive  four  or  five  hundred  feet 
above  both  the  bridge  and  the  level  of  the  upper  fall.  This  scene  is 
splendid.  The  black  perpendicular  rocks  on  the  other  bide ;  the  succes- 
sion of  falls ;  the  rapids  roaring  below  :  the  forest  trees  rising  to  the 
clouds  and  spreading,  with  their  majestic  boughs,  the  vapour  ascending 
from  the  falling  waters  ;  together  with  the  occasional  glimpses  of  the 
sky  here  and  there-<-all  this  induces  you  to  wander  with  your  eyes  from 


9UBT  IN  AMKRICii. 


411 


* 


one  point  of  view  to  another,  never  tiring  with  its  beauty,  wildneas,  and 
vastness  :  and,  if  you  do  not  exclaim  with  the  Mussulman,  God  is  great ! 
yovi  feel  it  through  every  sense,  and  at  every  pulsation  of  th«  heart. 

The  mountain  was  still  above  me,  and  I  continued  my  ascent ;  but  the 
chips  now  disappeared,  and,  like  Tom  Thumb,  I  lost  my  way.  I  attempt- 
ed  to  retreat,  but  in  vain ;  I  was  no  longer  among  forest  trees,  but  in  a 
maze  of  young  mountain  ash,  from  which  I  could  not  extricate  myself : 
so  I  stood  still  to  think  what  I  should  do.  I  recollected  that  the  usual 
course  of  proceeding  on  cuch  occasions,  was  either  to  sit  down  and  cry, 
or  attempt  to  get  out  of  your  scrape.  Tom  Thumb  did  both  ;  but  I  had 
no  time  to  indulge  in  the  former  luxury,  so  I  pushed  and  pushed,  till  I 
pushed  myself  out  of  my  scrape,  and  found  myself  in  a  more  respectable 
part  of  the  woods.  I  then  stopped  to  take  breath.  I  heard  a  rustling 
behind  me,  and  made  sure  it  was  a  panther : — it  was  a  beautiful  little 
palm  squirrel,  who  came  close  to  me,  as  if  to  say,"  "  Who  are  youl"  I 
took  off  my  hat  and  told  him  my  name,  when,  very  contemptuously,  as  I 
thought,  he  turned  short  round,  cocked  his  tail  over  his  back,  and  skipped 
away.  "  Free,  but  not  enlightened,"  thought  I ;  "  hasn't  a  soul  above 
nuts."  I  also  beat  a  retreat,  and  on  my  arrival  at  the  hotel,  found  that, 
although  I  had  no  guides  to  pay,  Nature  had  made  a  very  considerable 
levy  upon  my  wardrobe  :  my  boots  were  bursting,  my  trousers  torn  to  frag- 
ments, and  piy  hat  was  spoilt ;  and,  moreover,  I  sat  shivering  in  the  gar- 
ments which  remained.  So  I,  in  my  turn,  levied  upon  a  cow  that  was- 
milking,  and  having  improved  her  juice  very  much  by  the  addition  of 
some  rum,  I  sat  down  under  the  portico,  and  smoked  the  cigar  of  me- 
ditation. 

The  walls  of  the  portico  were,  as  usual,  scribbled  over  by  those  who 
would  obtain  ch^ap  celebrity.  I  always  read  these  production^ ;  they 
are  pages  of  human  life.  The  majority  of  the  scribblers  leave  a  name 
and  nothing  more  :  beyond  that,  some  few  of  their  productions  are  witty, 
some  sententious,  mostly  gross.  My  thoughts,  as  I  read  over  the  rubbish, 
were  happily  expressed  by  the  following  distich  which.  I  came  to : 

,     V  /     Les  Fen^tres  et  les  MuraiUss, 

■      -^  Sent  le  papier  des  Canailles. 

A  little  fkrther  on,  I  found  the  lie  given  to  this  remark  by  some  philo- 
sophic Spaniard : 

Amiga  quien  quiera  que  seas,  plensa  que  si;  acqui: 
••]  •■     Pones  tu  nombre,  pronto  il  tiempo  lo  borrara 
.    ^.v  Escribe  lo  pues  en  ii  libro  de  Dio  en  donde 

\_         Perraancera  etemamente — 

In  Amigo. 


;  CHAPTER  XII. 

*  Retukning  to  Ulica,  I  fell  in  with  a  horse  bridled  and  saddled,  that 
was  taking  Ms  way  homo  without  his  master,  every  now  and  then  crop- 
ping the  grass  at  the  road-side,  and  then  walking  on  in  a  most  indepen- 
dent manner.  His  master  had  given  him  a  certificate  of  leave,  by  chalking 
in  large  letters  on  his  saddle-flaps  on  each  side,.  "  Let  him  go."  This 
was  a  very  primitive  proceeding ;  but  I  am  not  quite  sure  that  it  could  be 
ventured  upon  in  Yorkshire,  or  in  Virginia  either,  where  they  know  a 
good  horse,  and  are  particularly  careful  of  it.  It  is  a  fact,  that  where- 
ever  they  breed  horses  they  invariably  learn  to  steal  them. 

Set  off  for  Oswego  in  a  canal  boat ;  it  was  called  a  packet-boat  because 


u 


SUflV  IN  AUttLtOA. 


It  did  not  carry  merchandize,  but  was  a  very  small  affair,  about  fifty  fdet 
long  by  eight  wide.  The  captain  of  her  was,  however,  in  his  own 
opinion,  no  shall  affair ;  he  puffed  and  swelled  until  he  looked  larger  than 
his  boat.  This  personage,  as  soon  as  we  were  underweigh,  sat  down 
in  the  narrow  cabin,  before  a  small  table  ;  sent  for  his  writing-desk,  which 
was  about  the  seize  of  a  street  organ,  and,  like  himself,  no  small  affair ; 
ordered  a  bell  to  be  rung  in  our  ears  to  summon  the  passengers ;  and, 
then,  taking  down  the  name  of  four  or  five  people,  received  the  enormous 
aum  of  ten  dollars  passage-inoney.  He  then  locked  his  desk  with  a  key 
large  enough  for  a  street-door,  ordered  his  steward  to  remove  it,  and 
went  on  deck  to  walk  just  three  feet  and  return  again.  After  all,  there 
ia  nothing  like  being  a  captain. 

Although  many  of  the  boats  are  laid  up,  there  is  still  considerable 
traffic  on  this  canal.  We  passed  Rome,  a  village  of  two  thousand  in- 
habitants, at  which  number  it  has  for  many  years  been  nearly  stationary. 
This  branch  of  the  canal  is,  of  course,  cut  through  the  levels,  and  we 
passed  through  swamps  and  wild  forests  ;  here  and  there  some  few  acres 
were  cleared,  and  a  log  house  was  erected,  looking  very  solitary  and 
forlorn,  surrounded  by  the  stumps  of  the  trees  which  had  beei<  felled, 
and  which  now  lay  corded  up  on  the  banks  of  the  canal,  ready  to  be 
disposed  of.  Wild  and  drnary  as  the  country  is,  the  mass  of  forest  is 
gradually  receding,  and  occasionally  some  solitary  tree  is  left  standing, 
UuroWing  out  its  wide  arms,  and  appearing  as  if  in  lamentation  at  its  se- 
paration from  its  companions,  with  whom  for  centuries  it  had  been  in 
close  fellowship. 

Extremes  meet :  as  I  looked  down  from  the  roof  of  the  boat  upon  the 
giants  of  the  forest,  which  had  for  so  many  centuries  reared  their  heads 
undisturbed,  but  now  lay  prostrate  before  civilization,  the  same  feelings 
were  conjured  up  in  my  mmd  as  when  I  hare,  in  my  wanderings,  surveyed 
such  fragments  of  dismembered  empires  as  the  ruins  of  Carthage  or  of 
Rome.  There  the  reign  of  art  was  over,  and  nature  had  resumed  her 
away — ^here  nature  was  deposed,  and  about  to  resign  her  throne  to  the 
wsurper  art.  By  the  by,  the  musquitoes  of  this  district  have  reaped  some 
benefit  from  the  cutting  of  the  canal  here.  Before  these  impervious 
forest  retreats  were  thus  pierced,  they  could  not  have  tasted  human  blood ; 
for  ages  it  must  have  been  unknown  to  them,  even  by  tradition ;  and  if 
they  taxed  all  other  boats  on  the  canal  as  they  did  ours,  a  eancd  thare 
with  them  must  be  considerably  above  par,  and  highly  profitable. 

At  five  o'clock  we  arrived  at  Syracuse.  I  do  detest  these  old  names 
vamped  up.  Why  do  not  the  American  take  the  Indian  names?  They 
need  not  be  so  very  scrupulous  about  it ;  they  have  robbed  the  Indians 
of  everything  else. 

After  you  pass  Syracuse,  the  country  wears  a  more  populous  and  in- 
viting appearance.  Salina  is  a  village  built  upon  a  salt  spring,  which  has 
the  greatest  flow  of  water  yet  known,  and  this  salt  spring  is  the  cause  of 
the  improved  appearance  of  the  country ;  the  banks  of  the  canal,  for 
three  miles  are  lined  with  buildings  for  the  boiling  down  of  the  salt 
water,  which  is  supplied  by  a  double  row  of  wooded  pipes.  Boats  are 
constantly  employed  up  and  down  the  canal,  transporting  wood  for  the 
supply  of  the  furnaces.  It  is  calculated  that  two  hundred  thousand  cord, 
ef  wood  are  required  every  year  for  the  present  produce ;  and  as  they 
estimate  upon  an  average  about  sixty  cord  of  wood  per  acre  in  these 
parts,  those  salt  works  are  the  means  of  yearly  clearing  away  upwards  of 
three  thousand  acres  of  land.    Twa million  t^  bushels  of  salt  are  boiled 


DUBlr  IN  AMIRICA. 


4tf 


r,  in  his  own 


down  every  year :  it  is  packed  in  barrels,  and  transported  by  the  canals 
and  lakes  to  Canada,  Michigan,  Chicago,  and  the  far  West.  When  we 
reflect  upon  the  number  of  people  employed  in  the  manufactories,  and 
in  cutting  wood,  and  making  barrels,  and  engaged  on  the  lakes  and 
canals  in  transporting  the  produce  so  many  thousand  miles,  we  must  ad- 
mire the  spring  to  industry  which  has  been  created  by  this  little,  but 
bounteous,  spring  presented  by  nature. 

The  first  sixty  miles  of  this  canal  (I  get  on  very  slow  with  my  descrip- 
tion, but  canal  travelling  is  very  slow),  which  is  through  a  flat  swampy 
forest,  is  without  a  lock ;  but  after  you  pass  Syracuse,  you  have  to  de- 
scend by  locks  to  the  Oswego  river,  and  the  same  at  every  rapid' of  the 
river ;  in  all,  there  is  a  fall  Ot'  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet.  Simple  as 
Idcks  are,  I  could  not  hcdp  reverting  to  the  wild  rapids  at  Trenton  falls, 
and  reflecting  upon  how  the  ingenuity  of  man  had  so  easily  been  able  to 
overcome  and  control  nature  !  The  locks  did  not  detain  us  long — they 
never  lose  time  in  America.  When  the  boat  had  entered  the  look,  ami 
the  gate  was  closed  upon  her,  the  water  was  let  off  with  a  rapidity 
which  considerably  affected  her  level,  and  her  bows  pointed  downward. 
I  timed  one  lock  with  a  fall  of  fifteen  feet.  From  the  time  the  gate 
was  closed  behind  us  until  the  lower  one  was  opened  for  our  egress,  was 
exactly  one  minute  and  a  quarter ;  and  the  boat  sank  down  in  the  lock 
so  rapidly  as  to  give  you  the  idea  that  she  was  scuttled  and  sinking. 

The  country  round  the  Oswego  is  fertile  and  beautiful,  and  the  river, 
with  its  islands,  falls,  and  rapid?,  very  picturesque.  At  one  p.  u.  we  ar- 
rived at  the  town  of  Oawego,  on  Lake  Ontario ;  I  was  pleased  with  the 
journey,  although,  what  with  ducking  to  bridges,  bites  from  musquitoes, 
and  the  constant  blowing  T>f  their  unearthly  horn  with  only  one  note, 
and  which  one  must  have  been  borrowed  from  the  gamut  of  the  infernal 
regions,  I  had  had  enough  of  it. 

For  the  first  time  since  my  arrival  in  the  country,  no  one — that  is  to 
say,  on  board  the  canal  boat — knew  who  I  was.  As  we  tracked  above 
the  Oswego  river,  I  fell  into  conversation  with  a  very  agreeable  person, 
who  had  joined  us  at  Syracuse.  We  conversed  the  wnole  day,  and  I 
obtained  much  valuable  mformation  from  him  about  the  country  :  when 
we  parted,  he  expressed  a  wish  that  we  should  meet  again.  He  gave  me 
his  name  and  address,  and  when  I  gave  my  card  in  return,  he  looked  at 
it,  and  then  said,  "  I  am  most  happy  to  make  your  acquaintance,  sir ;  but 
I  will  confess  that  had  I  known  with  whom  I  had  been  conversing,  I 
should  not  have  spoken  so  freely  upon  certain  points  connected  with  the 
government  and  institutions  of  this  country."  This  was  American  all 
over ;  they  would  conceal  the  truth,  and  then  blame  us  because  we  do 
not  find  it  out.  I  met  him  afterwards,  but  he  never  would  enter  into 
any  detailed  conversation  with  me. 


l^'f 


CHAPTER  Xni. 

Niagara  Fai,i,s. — Perhaps  the  wisest,  if  not  the  best  description  of 
the  Falls  of  Niagara,  is  in  the  simple  ejaculation  of  Mrs.  Butler ;  for  it 
is  almost  useless  tQ  attempt  to  describe  when  you  feel  that  language 
fails  ;  but  if  the  falls  cannot  be  described,  the  ideas  which  are  conjured 
up  in  the  mind,  when  we  contemplate  this  wonderful  combination  of 
grandeur  and  beauty  are  often  worth  recording.  The  lines  of  Mrs.  Sig- 
purney,  the  American  poetess,  please  me  most : — 

Flow  on  for  ever,  in  thy  glorious  robe 
Of  terror  and  beauty ;  God  hath  set 


46 


OURY  IN  AMERICA. 


His  rainbow  on  thy  foiehead,  and  the  clond 
Mantles  around  thy  feet.     And  he  doth  give 
;  *  Thy  voice  of  thunder  power  to  speak  of  liiia 

Eternally — bidding  the  lip  of  man 
Keep  silence,  and  upon  tn^  rocky  altar  pour 
Incense  of  awe-struck  praise. 

When  the  Indian  first  looked  upon  the  falls,  he  declared  them  to>  be 
the  dwellini^  of  the  Great  Spirit.  The  savage  could  not  imagine  that 
the  Great  Spirit  dwelt  also  in  the  leaf  which  he  bruised  in  his  hand  ;  but 
here  it  appealed  to  his  senses  in  thunder  and  awful  majesty,  and  he  was 
compelled  to  acknowledge  it. 

The  effects  which  the  conten^plation  of  these  glorious  waters  produce 
are  of  course  very  different,  according  to  one's  temperament  and  dispo- 
sition. As  I  stood  on  the  brink  above  the  falls,  continuing  for  a  con- 
siderable time  to  watch  the  great  mass  of  water  tumbling,  dancing,  ca* 
pering  and  rushing  wildly  along, 'as  if  in  a  hurry  to  take  the  leap  and 
delight  at  it,  I  could  not  help  wishing  that  I  too  had  been  made  of 
such  stuff  as  would  h&ve  enabled  me  to  have  ioined  it ;  with  it  to  have 
rushed  innocuously  down  the  precipice ;  to  have  rolled  uninjured  into  the 
deep  unfathomed  gulf  below,  or  to  have  gamboled  in  the  atmosphere  of 
spray,  which  rose  again  in '  a  dense  cloud  from  its  recesses.  For  about 
half  an  hour  more  1  continued  to  watch  the  rolling  watr  «,  and  then  I  felt 
a  slight  dizziness  and  a  creeping  sensation  come  over  me — that  sensation 
arising  from  strong  excitement,  and  the  same,  probably,  that  occasions 
the  bird  to  fait  into  the  jaws  of  the  snake.  This  is  a  feeling  which,  if 
too  long  indulged  in,  becomes  irresistible,  and  occasions  a  craving  de- 
sire to  wap  into  the  flood  of  rushing  waters.  It  increased  upon  me  every 
minute  ;  and,  retreating  from  the  brink,  I  turned  my  eyes  to  the  sur- 
rounding foliage,  until  the  effect  of  the  excitement  had  passed  away.  I 
looked  upon  the  waters  a  second  time,  and  then  my  ihoughts  were  di- 
rected into  a  very  different  channel.  I  wished  myself  a  magician,  that 
I  might  transport  the  falls  to  Italy,  and  pour  their  whole  volume  of  wa- 
ters into  the  crater  cf  Mount  Vesuvius ;  witness  the  terrible  conflict 
between  the  contending  e^ments,  and  create  the  largest  steam-boiler 
that  ever  entered  into  the  imagination  of  man. 

^f  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  opinion  that  these  falls  have  receded  a  dis- 
tance of  seven  miles  is  coi'rect ;  but  what  time  must  have  passed  before 
even  this  tremendous  power  could  have  sawed  away  such  a  mass  of  solid 
rock !  Within  the  memory  of  man  it  has  receded  but  a  few  feet — 
changed  but^  little.  How  many  thousand  years  must  these  waters  have 
been  flowing  and  falling,  unvarying  in  their  career,  and  throwing  up  their 
sheets  of  spray  to  heaven. 

It  is  impossible  for  either  the  eye  or  the  mind  to  compass  the  whole 
mass  of  falling  water ;  you  cannot  measure,  cannot  estimate  its  enormous 
volume  ;  and  this  4s  the  reason,  perhaps,  why  travellers  often  express 
themselves  disappointed  by  it.  But  fix  your  eye  upon  one  portion*— one 
falling  and  heavmg  wave  out  of  the  millions,  as  they  turn  over  the  edge 
of  the  rocks;  watch,  I  say,  this  fragment  for  a  few  minutes,  its  regular 
time  beating  motion  never  varying  or  chai  ging ;  pursuing  the  laws  of  na- 
ture with  a  T,egularity  never  ceasing  and  never  tiring;  minute  after  mi- 
nute; hour  aftfer  hour;  day  after  day  ;  year  after  year — until  time  re- 
cedes into  creation :  then  cast  your  eyes  over  the  whole  multitudinous 
mass,  which  is,  and  has  been,  performing  the  same  and  coeval  duty,  and 
noi(  feel  its  vastness ;    Still  the  majesty  of  the  whole  ia  far  too  great  for 


DIABT  IN  AMimCA. 


47 


his  hand ;  but 


lass  the  whole 


the  mind  to  compaM— too  atupendoui  for  its  limited  powers  of  recep* 

tiOD. 

Sunday. — I  had  intended  to  have  passed  the  whole  day  at  the  falls  ; 
but  an  old  gentleman,  whose  acquaintance  I  had  made  in  the  steam-boat 
on  lake  Ontario,  asked  me  to  go  to  church  ;  and,  as  I  felt  he  would  be 
annoyed  if  I  did  not,  I  accompanied  him  to  a  presbyterian  meotiiig  not 
far  from  the  falls,  which  sounded  like  distant  thunder.  The  sermon  was 
upon  temperance — a  favourite  topic  in  America ;  and  the  minister  rather 

Jjuaintly  observed,  that  "  alcohol  was  not  sealed  by  the  hand  of  God." 
t  was  astonishing  to  me  that  he  did  not  allude  to  the  falls,  point  out  that 
the  zeal  of  God  was  there,  and  show  how  feeble  was  the  voice  of  man 
when  compared  to  the  thunder  of  the  Almighty  so  close  at  hand.  But 
the  fact  was,  he  had  been  accustomed  to  preach  every  Sunday  with  the 
falls  roarinff  in  his  ear,  and  (when  the  wind  was  in  a  eertain  quarter)  with 
the  spray  damping  the  leaves  of  his  sermon :  he,  therefore,  did  not  feel 
as  we  did,  and,  no  doubt,  thought  his  sermon  better  than  that  from  the 
God  of  the  elements. 

'  Yes,  it  is  through  the  elements  that  the  Almighty  has  ever  deigned  to 
commune  with  man,  or  to  execute  his  supreme  will,  whether  it  has  been 
by  the  wild  waters  to  destroy  an  impious  race — by  the  fire  hUrled  upon 
the  doomed  cities — by  seas  divided,  that  the  chosen  might  pass  through 
them — by  the  thunders  on  Sinai's  mount  when  his  laws  were  given  to 
man — ^by^  the  pillar  of  fire  or  the  gushing  rock — or  by  the  rushing  of 
mighty  winds.  And  it  is  still  through  the  elements  that  the  Almignty 
speaks  to  man,  to  warn,  to  terrify,  to  chasten ;  to  raise  him  up  to  wonder, 
to  praise,  and  adore.  The  forked  and  blinding  lightning  which,  with  the 
rapidity  of  thought,  dissolves  the  union  between  the  body  and  the  soul ; 
the  pealing  thunder,  announcing  that  the  bolt  has  sped ;  the  fierce  tor- 
nado, sweeping  away  everything  in  its  career,  like  a  besom  of  wrath ; 
the  howling  storm ;  the  mountain  waves ;  the  earth  quaking,  and  yawn- 
ing wide,  in  a  second  overthrowing  the  work  and  pride  )f  centuries,  and 
burying  thousands  in  a  living  tomb ;  the  aerce  vomiting  of  the  crater, 
pouring  out  its  flames  of  liquid  fire,  and  changing  fertility  to  the  arid 
rock  :  it  is  through  these  that  the  Deity  still  speaks  to  man  ;  yet  what 
can  inspire  more  awe  of  him,  more  reverence,  and  more  love,  than  the 
coQtendplation  of  thy  falling  waters,  great  Niagara ! 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Two  gentlemen  have  left  their  cards,  and  will  be  happy  to  see  me  o^^ 
my  route  ;  one  lives  at  Batavia,  the  other  at  Pekin.  I  recollect  going 
over  the  ferry  to  Brooklyn  to  visit  the  commodore  at  the  navy  yard ;  I 
walked  to  where  the  omnibus  started  from,  to  see  if  one  was  going  my 
way.  There  were  but  two  on  the  stand :  one  was  bound  to  Ballon,  the 
other  to  Jericho. 

Buffalo  is  one  of  the  wonders  of  America.  It  is  hardly  to  be  credited 
that  'Such  a  beautiful  city  could  have  risen  up  in  the  wilderness  in  so> 
short  a  period.  In  the  year  1814  it  was  burnt  down,  being  then  only  a 
village  ;  only  one  house  was  left  standing,  and  now  it  is  a  city  with  twen- 
ty-five thousand  inhabitants.  The  Americans  are  very  judicious  in  plan- 
ning their  new  towns ;  the  streets  are  laid  out  so  wide  that  there  will 
never  be  any  occasion  to  pull  down  to  widen  and  improve,  as  we  do  in 
Eneland.  The  city  of  Buffalo  is  remarkably  well  built ;  all  the  house* 
in  the  principal  streets  are  lofty  and  substvitial,  and  are  either  of  hsick  or 


vf, 


4- 


41 


OUST  IN  AMIRIOA. 


granite.    The  main  street  is  wider  and  the  storei  handsomer,  than  the 

ffi)ority  of  those  in  New  York.  It  has  five  or  six  very  fine  churches,  a 
idsome  theatre,  town-hall,  and  market,  and  three  or  four  hotels,  ono 
of  which  is  superior  to  most  others  in  America ;  and  to  these  we  must 
add  a  fine  stone  pier,  with  a  tight-house,  a  harbour  full  of  shipping  and 
magnificent  steam-boats.  It  is  almost  incomprehensible,  that  all  this 
should  have  been  accomplished  since  the  year  1814.  And  what  has 
occasioned  this  springing  up  of  a  city  in  so  short  a  time  as  to  remind  you 
of  Aliadin's  magic  palace  ? — the  Erie  canal,  which  here  joins  the  Hudson 
river  with  the  lake,  passing  through  the  centre  of  the  most  populous  and 
fertile  states. 

At  present,  however,  the  business  of  Buffalo,  as  well  as  of  every  other 
city,  is  nearly  at  a  stand-still ;  the  machinery  of  America  is  under  repair, 
until  that  repair  is  completed,  the  country  will  remain  paralyzed.  Ame- 
rica may  just  now  be  compared  to  one  of  her  own  steam-boats,  which, 
under  too  high  pressure,  has  burst  her  boiler.  Some  of  her  passengers 
have  (in  a  commercial  point  of  view)  been  killed  outright,  others  severely 
injured,  and  her  progress  has  for  a  time  been  stopped :  but  she  will  soon 
be  enabled  to  go  a-head  <^b  fast  as  ever,  and  will  then  probably  pay  a  little 
more  attention  to  her  safety-valve. 

I  went  out  to  the  Indian  reservation,  granted  to  the  remnant  of  the 
Seneca  tribe  of  Indians,  once  a  portion  of  the  Mohawks,  and  all  that 
now  remains  in  the  United  States  of  the  famed  six  nations.  The  chief 
of  them  (Red  Jacket),  lately  dead,  might  be  considered  as  the  last  of  the 
Mohicans.  I  hati  some  conversation  with  his  daughter,  Vvho  was'very 
busily  employed  in  the  ornamenting  of  a  pair  of  moccasins,  and  then 
visited  the  tomb,  or  rather  the  spot,  where  her  father  was  buried,  without 
name  or  record.  This  omission  has  since  been  repaired,  and  a  tablet  is 
now  raised  over  the  grave.  It  is  creditable  to  the  profession  that  the 
«  poor  player,'*  as  Shakspeare  hath  it,  should  be  the  foremost  to  pay  tri- 
bute to  worth.  Cook,  the  tragedian,  was  lying  without  a  stone  to  mark 
his  resting-place,  when  Kean  came  to  America,  found  out  the  spot,  and 
raised  a  handsome  cenotaph  to  his  memory ;  and  it  is  to  Mr.  Placide, 
one  of  the  very  best  of  American  actors,  that  Red  Jacket  is  indebted  for 
the  tablet  which  has  been  raised  to  rescue  his  narrow  home  from  obli- 
vion. 

Red  Jacket  was  a  great  chief  and  a  great  man,  but,  like  roost  of  the 
Indians,  he  could  not  resist  the  temptation  of  alcohol,  and  was  during  the 
latter  part  of  his  life  very  intemperate.  When  Red  Jacket  was  sober 
he  was  the  proudjest  chief  that  ever  walked,  and  never  would  coicmuni- 
cate  even  with  the  highest  of  the  American  authorities  but  through  his 
interpreter  :  but  when  intoxicated,  he  would  speak  English  and  French 
fluently,  and  then  the  proud  Indian  warrior,  the  most  eloquent  of  his  race, 
the  last  chief  of  the  six  nations,  would  demean  himself  by  begging  for  a 
sixpence  to  buy  more  rum. 

I  must  now  revert  to  the  singular  causes  by  which,  independent  of 
others,  such  as  locality,  &c.,  Buffalo  was  so  rapidly  brought  to  a  state  of 
perfection — not  like  many  other  towns  which,  commencing  with  wooden 
houses,  gradually  superseded  them  by  brick  and  stone.  The  person  who 
was  the  cause  of  this  unusual  rise  was  a  Mr.  Rathbun,  who  now  lies 
incarcerated  in  a  gaol  of  his  own  building.  It  was  he  who  built  all  the 
hotels,  churches,  and  other  public  edifices ;  in  fact,  every  structure  wor- 
thy of  observation  in  the  whol6  town  was  projected,  contracted  for,  and 
executed  by  Mr.  Rathbun.    His  history  is  singular.    Of  quiet,  unassum- 


'fW 


.*tmm  -^ 


DURY  IN   AMHIOA. 


49 


like  most  of  the 


ing  manners,  Quaker  in  his  dress,  moderate  in  all  his  expenses,  (except 
in  charity,  wherein  assisted  by  an  amiable  wife,  he  was  very  liberal,)  m 
concealed  under  this  apparent  simplicity  and  goodness  a  mind  capable  of 
the  vastest,  conceptions,  united  with  the  greatest  powers  of  execution. — 
He  undertook  contracts,  and  embarked  in  building  speculations,  to  an 
amount  almost  incredible.  Kathbun  undertook  everything,  and  every- 
thing undertaken  by  Kathbun  was  well  done.  Not  only  at  Buffalo,  but 
at  Niagara  and  other  places,  ho  was  engaged  in  raising  vast  buildings, 
when  the  great  crash  occurred,  and  Rathbun,  with  others,  was  unable  to 
meet  his  liabilities.  Then,  for  the  first  time,  it  was  discovered  that  for 
more  than  five  years  he  had  been  conniving  at  a  system  of  forgery,  to  the 
amount  of  two  millions  of  dollars  :  the  forgery  consisted  in  putting  to  his 
bills  the  names  of  responsible  parties  as  indorsers,  that  they  might  be 
more  current.  It  does  not  appear  that  he  ever  intended  to  defraud,  for 
he  took  up  all  his  notes  as  fast  as  they  became  due ;  and  it  was  this  ex- 
treme regularity  on  his  part  which  prevented  the  discovery  of  his  fraud 
for  80  unusually  long  a  period.  It  is  surmised,  that  had  not  the  general 
failure  taken  place,  lie  would  have  eventually  withdrawn  all  these  forged 
bills  from  the  market,  and  have  paid  all  his  creditors,  reserving  for  him- 
self a  handsome  fortune.  It  is  a  singular  event  in  the  annals  of  forgery, 
that  this  should  have  been  carried  on  undiscovered  for  so  unprecedented 
a  time.  Mr.'Rathbun  is  to  be  tried  as  an  accessory,  as  it  was  his  brother 
who  forged  the  names.  As  soon  as  it  was  discovered,  the  latter  made 
bis  escape,  and  he  is  said  to  have  died  miserably  in  a  hovel  on  the  con- 
fines of  Texas. 

Embarked  on  board  of  the  Sandusky,  for  Detroit.  As  we  were  steer- 
ing clear  of  the  pier,  a  small  brig  of  about  two  hundred  tons  burthen  was 
pointed  out  to  me  as  having  been  the  flag-ship  of  Commodore  Darclay, 
in  the  action  upon  Lake  Erie.  The  appearance  of  Buffalo  from  the  lake 
is  very  imposing.  Slopped  at  Dunkirk  to  put  some  emigrants  on  shore. 
As  they  were  landing,  I  watched  them  carefully  counting  over  their  little 
property,  from  the  iron  tea-kettle  to  the  heavy  chest.  It  was  their  whole 
fortune,  and  invaluable  to  them ;  the  nest-egg  by  which,  with  industry, 
their  children  were  to  rise  to  afHuence.  They  remained  on  the  wharf  as 
we  shoved  off,  and  no  wonder  that  they  seemed  embarrassed  and  at  a 
loss.  There  was  the  baby  in  the  cradle,  the  young  children  holding  fast 
to  their  mother's  skirt,  while  the  elder  had  seated  themselves  on  a  log, 
and  watched  the  departure  of  the  steam  vessel ;  the  bedding,  cooking 
utensils,  &c.,  all  lying  in  confusion,  and  all  to  be  housed  before  night.' — 
Weary  did  they  look,  and  weary  indeed  they  were,  and  most  joyful  would 
they  be  when  they  at  last  should  gain  their  resting-place.  It  appears 
from  the  reports  sent  in,  that  upwards  of  100,000  emigrants  pass  to  the 
West  every  year  by  the  route  of  the  lakes,  of  which  it  is  estimated  that 
about  30,000  are  from  Europe,  the  remainder  migrating  from  the  eastern 
states  of  the  Union. 

I  may  keep  a  log  now. — 5  a.  m.  Light  breezes  and  clear  weather, 
land  trending  from  South  to  S.  S.  W.     Five  sail  in  the  offing. 

At  6,  ran  into  Grand  river.  Within  these  last  two  years,  three  towns 
have  sprung  up  here,  containing  between  them  about  three  thousand 
inhabitants. 

How  little  are  they  aware,  in  Europe,  of  the  vastness  and  extent  of 
commerce  carried  on  in  these  inland  seas,  whose  coasts  are  now  lined 
with  flourishing  towns  and  cities,  and  whose  waters  are  ploughed  by 
magnificent  steam-boats,  and  hundreds  ofvessels  laden  with  merchandize. 


80 


DURT  IN   AMIRICA. 


Even  the  Americans  themselves  are  not  fully  awaro  of  the  rising  im* 
pqrtance  of  these  lakes  as  connected  with  the  West.  Since  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Ohio  Canal,  which  enters  the  Lake  Erie  at  Cleveland,  that 
town  has  risen  almost  as  rapidly  as  Duflalo.  It  is  beautifully  situated. 
It  is  about  six  years  back  that  it  may  bo  said  to  have  commenced  its 
■tart,  and  it  now  contains  more  than  ten  thousand  inhabitants.  The 
buildinffs  are  upon  the  same  scale  as  those  of  Buffalo,  and  it  is  con- 
jectured with  good  reason,  that  it  will  become  even  a  larger  city  than  the 
other,  as  the  ice  breaks  up  here,  and  the  navigation  is  open  in  the  spring 
•ix  weeks  sooner  than  it  is  at  Buffalo ;  abreast  of  which  town  the 
ice  is  driven  down  and  collected,  previous  to  its  forcing  its  passage  over 
the  falls. 

Erie,  which  was  the  American  naval  depdt  during  the  war,  has  a  fine 
bay,  but  it  is  now  falling  into  insignificance  :  it  has  a  population  of  about 
one  thousand. 

Sandusky  is  a  fast  rising  town,  beautifully  situated  upon  the  verge  of 
a  small  prairie  ;  it  is  between  Sandusky  anu  Huron  that  the  prairie  lands 
commence.  The  bay  of  Sandusky  is  very  picturesque,  being  studded 
with  small  verdant  islands.  On  one  of  these  are  buried  in  the  same  grave 
all  those  who  fell  in  the  hard-fought  battle  of  the  lakes  between  Peny 
and  Barclay,  both  of  whom  have  since  followed  their  companions. 

Toledo  is  the  next  town  of  consequence  on  the  lake,  it  is  situated  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Miami  river ;  and  as  a  railroad  has  already  been  com- 
menced across  the  isthmus,  no  as  to  avoid  going  round  the  whole  penin- 
sula of  Michigan,  it  is  fast  rising  into  imuortance.  Three  years  ago  the 
land  was  purchased  at  a  dollar  and  a  half  per  acre  ;  now,  it  is  selhng  for 
building  lots  at  one  hundred  dollars  per  foot.  They  handed  me  a  paper 
printed  in  this  town  called  "  The  Toledo  Blade  ;"  a  not  inappropriate 
title,  though  rather  a  bold  one  for  an  editor  to  write  up  to,  as  his  writings 
ought  to  be  very  sharp,  and,  at  the  same  time,  extremely  will-tempered. 

The  American  government  have  paid  every  attention  to  their  mland 
waters.  The  harbours,  light-houseA,  piers,  6lc.,  have  all  been  built  at 
the  expense  of  government,  and  every  precaution  has  been  taken  to  make 
'  the  navigation  of  the  lakes  as  safe  as  possible. 

In  speaking  of  the  new  towns  rising  so  fast  in  America,  I  wish  the 
reader  to  understand  that,  if  he  compares  them  with  the  country  towns 
of  the  same  population  in  England,  he  will  not  do  them  justice.  In  the 
smaller  towns  of  England  you  can  procure  but  little,  and  you  have  to  send 
to  London  for  anything  good ;  in  the  larger  towns,  such  as  Norwich,  &c., 
you  may  procure  most  things  ;  but,  still,  luxuries  must  usually  be  obtain- 
ed from  the  metropolis.  But  in  such  places  as  Buffalo  and  Cleveland, 
everything  is  to  be  had  that  you  can  procure  at  New  York  or  Boston. — 
In  those  two  towns  on  Lake  Erie  are  stores  better  furnished,  and  hand- 
somer, than  any  shops  at  Norwich,  in  England ;  and  you  will  find,  in 
either  of  them,  articles  for  which,  at  Norwich,  you  would  be  obliged  to 
send  to  London.  It  is  the  same  thing  at  almost  every  town  in  America 
with  which  communication  is  easy.  Would  you  furnish  a  house  in  one 
■  of  them,  you  will  find  every  article  of  furniture — carpets,  stoves,  grates, 
marble  chimney-pieces,  pier  glasses,  pianos,  lamps,  candelebra,  glass, 
china,  &c.,  in  twice  the  quantity,  and  in  greater  variety,  than  at  any  pro- 
Tincial  town  in  England. 

This  arises  from  the  system  of  credit  extended  through  every  vein  and 
artery  of  the  country,  and  by  which  English  goods  are  forced,  as  if  wi'h 
«  force-pump,  in  every  available  depdt  in  the  Union  ;  and  thus,  in  a 


DIAKY  IN  AMIBIOA.  i| 

town  10  newly  raised,  that  the  itumps  of  the  forest-traea  are  not  onlv  atill 
surrounding  the  houses,  hut  remain  standing  in  the  cellars,  you  will  find 
every  luxury |ihat  can  be  required.  It  may  do  asked  what  becomes  of  all 
those  goods.  It  must  be  rocollectcd  that  hundreds  of  new  houses  spring 
up  cvnry  year  in  the  towns,  and  that  the  surrounding  country  is  populoua 
and  wealthy.  In  the  farm-houses — mean-looking  and  often  built  of  logs 
— is  to  be  found  not  only  comfort,  but  very  often  luxury. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Thi  French  have  never  succeeded  as  colonists,  and  their  want  of  suc- 
cess can  only  be  ascribed  to  an  amiable  want  of  energy.  When  located 
at  any  spot,  if  a  Frenchman  has  enough  he  seeks  no  more  ;  and,  instead 
of  working,  as  the  Englishman  or  tho  American  does,  he  will  pass  hia 
time  away,  and  spend  his  little  surplus  in  social  amusements.  The  town 
of  Detroit  was  founded  as  early  as  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  but,  favourably 
as  it  is  situated,  it  never  until  lately  rose  to  anything  more  than,  properly 
speaking,  a  large  village.  There  is  not  a  paved  street  in  it,  or  even  a 
foot-path  for  a  pedestrian.  In  winter,  in  rainy  weather,  you  are  up  to 
your  knees  in  mud  ;  in  summer,  invisible  from  dust :  indeed,  until  lately, 
there  was  not  a  practicable  road  for  thirty  miles  round  Detroit.  The 
muddy  and  impassable  state  of  the  streets,  has  given  rise  to  a  very  curioua 
system  of  making  morning  or  evening  calls.  A  small  one  horse  cart  is 
backod  against  the  door  of  a  house  ;  the  ladies  dressed  get  into  it,  and 
seat  themselves  upon  a  buflfalo-skin  at  the  bottom  of  it :  toey  are  carried 
to  the  residence  of  the  party  upon  whom  they  wish  to  call ;  the  cart  ia 
backed  in  again,  and  they  are  landed  dry  and  clean.  An  old  inhabitant 
of  Detroit  complained  to  me  that  the  people  were  now  getting  so  proud, 
that  many  of  them  refused  to  visit  in  that  way  any  longer.  But  owing  to 
the  rise  of  the  other  towns  on  the  lake,  the  great  increase  of  commerce, 
and  Michigan  having  been  admitted  as  a  state  into  the  Union,  with  Detroit 
as  its  capital,  a  large  eastern  population  has  now  poured  inta  it,  and  De- 
troit will  soon  present  an  appearance  very  different  from  its  present,  and 
become  one  of  the  most  flourishing  cities  of  America.  Within  these  last 
six  years  it  has  increased  its  population  from  two  to  ten  thousand.  Tha 
climate  here  is  the  very  best  in  America,  although  the  state  itself  is  un- 
healthy. The  land  near  the  town  is  fertile.  A  railroad  from  Detroit 
already  extends  thirty  miles  through  the  state  ;  and  now  that  the  work 
has  commenced  it  will  be  carried  on  with  the  usual  energy  of  the  Ame- 
ricans. 

Left  Detroit  in  the  Michigan  steam- vessel  for  Mackinaw;  passed 
through  the  lake  St.  Clair,  and  entered  lake  Huron  ;  stopped  at  a  solitary 
wharf  to  take  in  wood,  and  met  there  with  a  specimen  of  American  po- 
liteness or  (if  you  please)  independence  in  the  gentleman  who  cut  down 
and  sold  it.  Without  any  assigneble  motive,  he  called  out  to  me,  "  You 
are  a  damned  fool  of  an  Englishman ;"  for  which,  I  suppose,  I  ought  to 
have  been  very  much  obliged  to  him. 

Miss  Martineau  has  not  been  too  lavish  in  her  praises  of  Mackinaw. 
It  has  the  appearance  of  a  fairy  isle  floating  on  the  water,  which  is  so  pure 
and  transparent  that  you  may  see  down  to  almost  any  depth  :  and  the 
air  above  is  as  pure  as  the  water,  so  that  you  feel  invigorated  as  you  breathe 
it.  The  first  reminiscence  brought  to  my  mind  after  I  had  landed,  was 
the  description  by  Walter  Scott  of  the  island  and  residence  of  Magnus 
Troil,  and  his  daughters  Mina  and  Brenda,  in  the  novel  of  the  "  Pirate." 

The  low  buildings,  long  stores,  and  outhouses,  full  of  nets,  barrels, 


82 


DUKT   IN  AMERICA. 


masts,  sails  and  cordage :  the  abundance  offish  lying  about ;  the  rafters 
of  the  houses  laden  with  drie^  and  smoked  meat ;  and  tho  full  and  joUj 
prbportions  of  most  of  the  inliabitants,  who  would  have  rivalled  Scott's 
worthy  in  height  and  obesity,  immediately  struck  my  eye ;  and  I  might 
have  imagined  myself  transported  to  the  Shetland  isle,  had  il  not  been  for 
the  lodges  of  the  Indians  on  the  beach,  and  ihe  Indians  themselves  either 
running  about  or  lying  stripped  in  the  porches  before  the  whiskey  stores. 

I  inquired  of  one  of  the  islanders,  why  all  the  white  residents  were 
generally  such  large  portly  men,  which  they  are  at  a  very  early  age  ;  he 
replied,  "  We  have  good  air,  good  water,  and  what  we  eat  agrees  with 
us."    This  was  very  conclusive. 

I  inquired  of  another  if  people  lived  to  a  good  old  age  in  the  island ; 
his  reply  was  quite  Americra — *'  I  guess  they  do  ;  if  people  want  to  die, 
they  can't  die  here — they're  obliged  to  go  elsewhere." 

Wandering  among  the  Indian  lodges  (wigwam  is  a  term  not  usednow- 
a-days),  I  heard  a  sort  of  flute  played  in  one  of  them  and  I  entered.  The 
young  Indian  who  was  blowing  on  it,  handed  it  to  me.  It  was  an  im- 
perfect instrument,  something  between  a  flute  and  a  clarionet,  but  tho 
sound  which  it  gave  out  was  soft  and  musical.  An  islander  informed  me 
that  it  was  the  only  sort  of  musical  instrument  which  the  northern  tribes 
possessed,  and  that  it  was  played  upon  by  the  young  men  only  when  they 
were  in  love.  I  suspected  at  first  that  he  was  bantering  me,  but  I  after- 
wards found  that  what  he  said  was  true.  The  young  Indian  must  have 
been  very  deeply  smitten,  for  he  continued  to  play  all  day  and  all  night 
during  the  time  that  I  was^there. 

"  If  music  be  the  food  of  love,  play  on." 

Started  in  a  birch  canoe  for  Sault  St.  Marie,  a  small  town  built  trader 
the  rapids  of  that  name,  which  pour  out  a  portion  of  the  waters  of  lake 
Superior.  Two  American  gentlemen,  one  a  member  of  congress,  and 
the  other  belonging  to  the  American  Fur  Company  were  of  the  party. 
Our  crew  consisted  of  five  Canadian  half-breeds — a  mixture  between  the 
Indian  and  the  white,  which  spoils  both.  It  was  a  lovely  morning ;  not 
a  breath  of  air  stirred  the  wide  expanse  of  the  Huron,  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  scan ;  and  the  canoe,  as  it  floated  along-side  of  the  landing-place, 
appeared  as  if  it  were  poised  in  the  air,  so  light  did  it  float,  and  so  clear 
and  transparent  are  these  northern  waters.  We  started,  and  in  two  hours 
arrived  at  Goose  Island,  unpoeticat  in  its  name,  but  in  itself  full  of  beauty. 
As  you  stand  on  the  beach  you  can  look  down  through  the  water  on  tho 
shelving  bottom,  bright  with  its  variety  of  pebbles,  and  trace  it  almost  as 
far  off  as  if  it  had  not  been  covered  with  water  at  all.  The  island  was 
small,  but  gay  as  the  gayest  of  parterres,  covered  with  the  sweet  wild 
rose  in  full  bloom,  (certainly  the  most  fragrant  rose  in  the  v/orld,)  blue 
campanellos,  yellow  exeranthemums,  and  white  ox-eyed  daisies.  Under- 
neath there  was  a  perfect  carpet  of  strawberries,  ripe,  and  inviting  you  to 
eat  them,  which  we  did,  while  our  Canadian  brutes  swallowed  long 
strings  of  raw  salt  pork.  And  yet,  in  two  months  hence,  this  love  little 
spot  will  be  bur  one  mass  of  snow— a  mound  rising  above  fo  serve  as  a 
guide  to  the  chilled  traveller,  who  would  find  his  way  over  the  frozen  ex- 
panse of  the  wide  Huron  lake. 

As  soon  as  our  Canadians  had  filled  themseives  to  repletion  with  raw 
pork,  we  continued  our  route  that  we  might  cross  the  lake  and  gain  tho 
Petour,  or  point  which  forms  the  entrance  of  the  river  St.  Marie,  before 
it  was  dark.     We  arrived  a  little  before  sunset,  when  we  landed,  put  up 

I 


DURT   IN  AHERIOA. 


68 


eur  light  boat,  and  bivouacked  for  the  night.  As  soon  as  we  put  our  feet 
on  shore,  we  were  assailed  by  the  inusquitoes  in  myriads.  They  congre- 
gated from  all  quarters  in  such  numbers,  that  ;:ou  could  only  see  as  if 
through  a  black  veil,  and  you  could  not  speak  wuh  '  1  "laving  your  mouth 
filled  with  them.  But  in  ten  minutes  we  had  a  laigd  fire,  made,  not  of 
logs  or  branches,  but  of  a  dozen  small  trees,  ^he  wind  eddied,  and  the 
flame  and  smoko,  as  they  rose  in  masses,  whirled  about  the  musquitoes 
right  and  left,  and  in  every  quarter  of  the  compass,  until  they  were  fairly 
beaten  off  to  a  respectable  distance.  We  supped  upon  lake-trout  and 
fried  ham  ;  and  rolling  ourselves  up  in  our  Mackinaw  blankets,  we  were 
soon  fast  asleep. 

There  was  no  occasion  to  call  us  the  next  morning.  The  Canadians 
were  still  snoring,  and  had  let  the  fires  go  down.  The  musquitoes,  tak- 
ing advantage  of  this  neglect,  had  forced  their  way  into>  the  tent,  and 
sounded  the  reveille  in  our  ears  with  their  petty  trumpets  ;  following  up 
the  summons  with  the  pricking  of  pins,  as  the  fairies  of  Queen  Mab  are 
reported  to  have  done  to  lazy  housemaids.  We  kicked  up  our  half-breeds, 
who  gave  us  out  breakfast,  stowed  away  the  usual  quantity  of  raw  pork, 
and  once  more  did  we  float  on  the  water  in  a  piece  of  birch  bark.  The 
heat  of  the  sun  was  oppressive,  and  we  were  broiled  ;  but  we  dipped  our 
hands  in  the  clear  cool  stream  as  we  skimmed  along,  listening  to  the 
whistling  of  the  solitary  loon  as  it  paddled  away  from  us,  or  watching  the 
serrated  back  of  the  sturgeon,  as  he  rolled  lazily  over  and  showed  above 
the  water.  Now  and  then  we  stopped,  and  the  silence  of  the  desert  waS' 
broken  by  the  report  of  our  fowling  pieces,  and  a  pigeon  or  two  was  add- 
ed to  our  larder.  At  noon  a  breeze  sprung  up,  and  we  hoisted  our  sail,, 
and  the  Canadians  who  had  paddled  dropped  asleep  as  wc  glided  quietly 
along  under  the  guidance  of  the  "  timonier." 

After  you  have  passed  through  the  river  St.  Clair,  and  entered  the  Hu- 
ron lake,  the  fertility  of  the  country  gradually  disappears.  Here  and  there 
indeed,  especially  on  the  Canadian  side,  a  spot  more  rich  than  the  soil  in 
general  is  shown  by  the  large  growth  of  the  timber  ;  but  the  northern  part 
of  the  Lake  Huron  shores  is  certainly  little  fit  for  cultivation.  The  spruce 
fir  now  begins  to  be  plentiful ;  for,  until  you  come  to  the  upper  end  of  the 
lake,  they  are  scarce,  although  very  abundant  in  Upper  Canada.  The 
country  wears  the  same  appearance  all  the  way  up  to  the  Sault  St.  Ma- 
rie, showing  maple  and  black  poplar  intermingled  with  fir  ;  the  oak  but 
rarely  appearing.  The  whole  lake  from  Mackinaw  to  the  Detour  is  studded 
with  islands.  A  large  one  at  the  entrance  of  the  river  is  called  St.  Jo- 
sephts.  The  Hudson  Bay  Company  had  a  staiioti  there,  which  is  now 
abandoned,  and  the  island  has  been  purchased,  or  granted,  to  an  English 
officer,  who  has  partly  settled  it.  It  is  said  to  be  the  best  land  in  this  re- 
gion, but  still  hardly  fit  for  cultivation.  It  was  late  before  our  arrival  at 
the  Sault,  and  we  were  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  our  paddles,  for  the 
wind  had  died  away.  As  the  sun  went  down,  we  observed  a  very  curious 
effect  from  the  refraction  of  tints,  the  water  changing  to  a  bright  violet 
every  time  that  it  was  disturbed  by  the  paddles.  I  have  witnessed  some- 
thing Uko  this  just  after  sunset  on  the  Lake  of  Geneva. 

We  landed  at  dusk,  much  fatigued  ;  but  the  Aurora  Borealis  flashed  in 
the  heavens,  spreading  out  like  avast  plume  of  ostrich  feathers  across  the 
sky,  every  minute  changing  its  beautiful  and  fanciful  forms.  Tired  as  we 
were,  we  watched  it  for  hours  before  we  could  make  up  our  minds  to  ^"* 
to  bed. 

•    6*    -        . 


(fe 


64 


DIARY  IN  iHEBICA. 


v^  CHAPTER  XVI. 

Sault  St.  Marie. — Our  landlord  is  a  very  strange  being.  It  appears 
that  he  has  been  annoyed  by  some  traveller,  who  has  published  a  work  in 
which  he  has  found  fault  with  the  accomodations  at  Sault  St.  Mario,  and 
spoken  very  disrespectively  of  our  host's  beds  and  bed-furniture.  I  have 
never  read  the  work,  but  I  am  so  well  aware  how  frequently  travellers  fill 
up  their  pages  with  fleas,  and  "  such  small  gear,"  that  I  presume  the  one 
in  question  was  short  of  matter  to  furnish  out  his  book ;  yet  it  was  nei- 
ther just  nor  liberal  on  his  part  to  expect  at  Sault  St.  Marie,  where,  per- 
haps, not  five  travellers  arrive  in  the  course  of  a  year,  the  same  accommo- 
dations as  at  New  York.  The  bedsteads  certainly  were  a  little  ricketty, 
but  everything  was  very  clean  and  comfortable.  The  house  was  not  a» 
inn,  nor,  indeed,  did  it  pretend  to  be  one,  but  the  fare  was  good  and  well 
cooked,  and  you  were  waited  upon  by  the  host's  two  pretty  modest,  daugh- 
ters— not  only  pretty,  but  well-informed  girls  ;  and  considering  that  thia 
village  is  the  Ultimii  Thule  of  this  portion  of  America,  I  think  that  a 
traveller  might  have  been  very  well  content  wibh  things  as  they  were.  In 
two  instances,  I  found  in  the  log-houses  of  this  village  complete  editions 
of  Lord  Byron's  works. 

Sault  St.  Marie  contains,  perhaps,  fifty  houses,  mostly  built  of  logs, 
and  has  a  palisade  put  up  to  repel  any  attack  of  the  Indians. 

There  are  two  companies  of  soldiers  quartered  here.  The  rapids  from 
which  the  village  takes  its  name  are  jqst  above  it ;  they  are  not  strong 
or  dangerous,  and  the  canoes  descend  them  twenty  times  a-day.  At  the 
foot  of  the  rapids  the  men  are  constantly  employed  in  taking  the  white 
fish  in  scoop-nets,  as  they  attempt  to  force  their  way  up  into  Lake  Su- 
perior. The  majority  of  the  inhabitants  here  are  half-breeds.  It  is  remarkable 
that  the  females  generally  improve,  and  the  males  degenerate,  from  the 
admixture  of  blow!.  Indian  wives  are  here  preferred  to  white,  and  per- 
haps with  reason — they  make  the  best  wives  for  poor  men ;  they  labour 
hard,  never  complain,  and  a  day  of  severe  toil  is  amply  recompensed  by 
a  smile  from  their  lord  and  master  in  the  evening.  They  are  always 
faithful  and  devoted,  and  very  sparing  of  their  talk,  all  which  qualities  are 
considered  as  recommendations  in  this  part  of  the  world. 

It  is  remarkable,  that  although  the  Americans  treat  the  negro  with 
contumely,  they  have  a  respect  for  the  red  Indian :  a  well-educated 
half-breed  Indian  is  not  debarred  from  entering  into  society  ;  indeed,  they 
are  generally  received  with  great  attention.  The  daughter  of  a  celebrated 
Indian  chief 'brings  heraldry  into  the  family,  for  the  Indians  are  as  proud 
of  their  descent  (and  with  good  reason)  as  we,  in  Europe,  are  of  ours. 
The  Randolph  family  in  Virginia  still  boast  of  their  descent  from  Poca- 
hontas, the  herbine  of  one  of  the  most  remarkable  romances  in  real  life 
which  was  ever  heard  of. 

The  whole  of  this  region  appears  to  be  incapable  of  cultivation,  and  must 
remain  in  its  present  state,  perhaps,  for  centuries  to  come.  The  chief 
produce  is  from  the  lakes ;  trout  and  white  fish  are  caught  in  large 
quimtities,  salted  down,  and  sent  to  the  West  and  South.  At  Mackinaw 
alone  they  cure  about  two  thousand  barrels,  which  sell  for  ten  dollars  the 
barrel :  at  the  Sault,  about  the  same  quantity  ;  and  on  Lake  Superior,  at 
the  station  of  the  American  Fur  Company,  they  have  commenced  the 
fishing,  to  lessen  the  expenses  of  the  establishment,  and  they  now  salt 
down  about  four  thousand  barrels  ;  but  this  traflTic  is  still  in  its  infancy, 
and  will  become  more  profitable  as  the  west  becomes  more  populous. 


DUBY  IN  AMERICA. 


0i 


Be  it  here  observed  that,  although  the  Canadians  have  the  same  right* 
and  the  same  capabilities  of  lishmg,  I  do  not  believe  that  one  barrel  is 
cured  on  the  Canadian  side.  As  the  American  fish  is  prohibited  in 
England,  it  might  really  become  an  article  of  ezporta^on  from  the 
Canadas  to  a  considerable  amount. 

There  is  another  source  of  profit,  which  is  the  collecting  of  the  maple 
sugar ;  and  this  staple,  if  I  may  use  the  term,  is  rapidly  increasing. 
At  an  average,  the  full  grown  maple-tree  will  yield  about  five  pounds  of 
sugar  each  tapping,  and,  if  carefully  treated,  will  last  forty  years.  All 
the  state  of  Michigan  is  supplied  from  this  quarter  with  this  sugar, 
which  is  good  in  quality  and  refines  well.  At  Mackinaw  they  receive 
about  three  hundred  thousand  pounds  every  year.  It  may  be  collected 
in  any  quantity  from  their  vast  wildernesses  of  forests,  and,  although 
the  notion  may  appear  strange,  it  is  not  impossible  that  one  day  the 
northern  sugar  may  supersede  that  of  the  tropics.  The  island  of  St. 
Joseph,  which  I  have  mentioned,  is  covered  with  large  maple  trees,  and 
they  make  a  great  quantity  upon  that  spot  alone. 

I  was  amused  by  a  reply  given  me  by  an  American  in  office  here.  I 
asked  how  much  his  office  was  worth,  and  his  answer  was  six  hundred 
dollars,  besides  stealings.  This  was,  at  all  events,  frank  and  honest  ; 
in  England  the  word  would  have  been  softened  down  to  perquisites.  I 
afterward  found  that  it  was  a  common  expression  in  the  states  to  say 
a  place  was  worth  so  much  besides  cheatage. 

In  all  this  country,  from  Mackinaw  to  the  Sault,  hay  is  very  scarce ; 
and,  during  the  short  summer  season,  the  people  go  twenty  or  thirty 
miles  in  their  canoes  to  any  known  patch  of  prairie  or  grass  land  to  col- 
lect it.  Nevertheless,  they  are  very  oflen  obliged,  during  the  winter,  to 
feed  their  cattle  upon  fish,  and  strange  to  say,  they  acquire,  a  taste  for  it. 
You  will  see  tho  horses  and  cows  disputing  for  the  offal ;  and  our  land- 
lord told  me  that  he  has  often  witnessed  a  particular  horse  wait  very 
quietly  while  they  were  landing  the  fish  from  the  canoes,  watch  his 
opportunity,  dart  in,  steal  one,  and  run  away  toith  it  in  his  mouth. 

A  mutiny  among  our  lazzaroni  of  half-breeds,  they  refuse  to  work  tq- 
day,  because  they  are  tired,  they  say,  and  we  are  obliged  to  procure 
others.  Carried  our  canoe  over  the  portage  into  the  canal,  and  in  five 
minutes  were  on  the  vast  inland  sea  of  Lake  Superior.  The  watera  of 
ais  lake  are,  if  possible,  more  transparent  than  those  of  the  Huron,  or 
rather  the  varie*^^y  and  bright  colours  of  the  pebbles  and  agates,  which 
lie  at  the  bottom,  make  them  appear  so.  The  appearance  of  the  coast, 
and  the  growth  of  timber,  are  much  th<)  same  as  on  Lake  Huron,  until 
you  arrive  at  Gros  Cape,  a  bold  promontory,  about  throe  hundred  feet 
high.  We  ascended  this  cape,  to  have  a  full  view  of  the  expanse  of 
water :  this  was  a  severe  task,  as  it  was  nearly  perpendicular,  and  we 
were  forced  to  cling  from  tree  to  tree  to  make  the  ascent.  In  addition 
to  this  difficulty,  we  were  unremittingly  pursued  by  the  musquitoes, 
which  blinded  us  so  as  to  impede  our  progress,  being  moreover  assisted 
in  their  malevolent  attacks  by  a  sort  of  sand-fiy,  that  made  triangular 
incisions  behind  our  ears,  exactly  like  a  leech  bite,  from  which  the 
blood  trickled  down  two  or  three  inches  as  soon  as  the  little  wretch  let 
go  his  hold.  This  variety  uf  stinging  made  us  almost  mad,  and  wo 
descended  quite  exhausted,  the  blood  trickling  down  our  faces  and 
necks.  We  threw  off  our  clothes,  and  plunged  into  the  lake ;  the 
water  was  too  cold  ;  the  agate  at  the  bottom  cut  our  feet  severely,  and 
thus  we  were  phlebotomized  from  head  to  foot. 


66 


DUKY  IN   AMERICA. 


There  is  a  singular  geological  feature  at  this  cape  ;  you  do  not  per' 
ceive  it  until  you  have  forced  your  way  through  a  belt  of  tirs,  which 
grow  at  the  bottom  and  screen  it  from  sight.  It  is  a  ravine  in  which  the 
rocks  are  pouring  down  from  the  top  to  the  bottom,  all  so  equal  in  size, 
and  so  arranged,  as  to  wear  the  appearance  of  a  cascade  of  stones  ;  and 
when  half-blinded  by  the  musquitoes,  you  look  upon  them,  they  appear  as 
if  they  are  actually  in  motion,  and  falling  down  in  one  continued 
stream. 

We  embarked  again,  and  after  an  hour's  paddling  landed  upon  a  small 
island,  where  was  the  tomb  of  an  Indian  chief  or  warrior.  It  was  ia  a 
beautiful  spot,  surrounded  by  the  wild  rose,  blue  peas,  and  campanellas. 
The  kinna-kinnec,  or  weed  which  the  Indians  smoke  as  tobacco,  grew 
plentifully  about  it.  The  mound  of  earth  was  surrounded  by  a  low  pali- 
sade, about  four  feet  wide  and  seven  feet  long,  and  at  the  head  of  it  was 
the  warrior's  pole  with  eagle  feathers,  and  notches  denoting  the  number 
of  scalps  he  had  taken  from  the  enemy. 

The  Hudson  Bay  and  American  Fur  Companies  both  have  stations  on 
Lake  Superior  on  their  respective  sides  of  the  lake,  and  the  Americans 
have  a  small  schooner  which  navigates  it.  There  is  one  question  which 
the  traveller  cannot  help  asking  himself  as  he  surveys  the  vast  mass  of 
water,  into  which  so  many  rivers  pour  their  contributions,  which  is — in 
what  manner  is  all  this  accumulation  of  water  carried  off!  Except  by  a  very 
small  evaporation  in  the  summer  time,  and  the  outlet  at  Sault  St.  Marie, 
where  the  water  ^hich  escapes  is  not  much  more  than  equal  to  two  or 
three  of  the  rivers  which  feed  the  lake,  there  is  no  apparent  means  by 
which  the  water  is  carried  off.  The  only  conclusion  tnat  can  be  arrived 
at  is,  that  when  the  lake  rises  above  a  certain  height,  as  the  soil  around 
is  sandy  and  porous,  the  surplus  waters  find  their  way  through  it ;  and 
such  I  believe  to  be  the  case. 

We  saw  no  bears.  They  do  not  come  down  to  the  shore,  (or  travel, 
as  they  term  it  here,)  until  the  huckleberries  are  ripe.  We  were  told 
that  a  month  later  there  would  be  plenty  of  them.  It  is  an  ascertained 
fact,  that  the  bears  from  this  region  migrate  to  the  west  every  autumn, 
but  it  is  not  known  when  they  return.  They  come  down  to  the  eastern 
shores  of  the  Lakes  Superior  and  Huron,  swim  the  lakes  and  rivers  irom 
island  to  island,  never  deviating  from  their  course,  till  they  pass  through 
by  Wisconsin  to  the  Mississippi.  Nothing  stops  them ;  the  sight  of  a 
canoe  will  not  prevent  their  taking  the  water ;  and  the  Indians  in  the 
river  St.  Marie  have  been  known  to  kill  fifteen  in  one  day.  It  is  sin- 
gular  that  the  bears  on  the  other  side  of  the  Mississippi  are  said  to 
migrate  to  the  east  exactly  in  the  contrary  direction.  Perhaps  the  Mis- 
sissippi is  their  fashionable  wateriug'place. 

A  gathering  storm  induced  us  to  return,  instead  of  continuing  our  pro- 
gress on  the  lake.  A  birch  canoe  in  a  gale  of  wind  on  Lake  Superior, 
would  not  be  a  very  insurable  risk.  On  our  return,  we  found  our  half- 
breeds  very  penitent,  for  had  we  not  taken  them  back,  they  would  have 
stood  a  good  chance  of  wintering  there.  But  we  had  had  advice  as  to  the 
treatment  of  these  lazy  gluttonous  scoundrels,  who  swallowed  long  pieces 
of  raw  pork  the  whole  of  the  day,  and  toward  evening  were,  from  reple- 
tion, hanging  their  heads  over  the  sides  of  the  canoe  and  quite  ill.  They 
had  been  regaled  with  pork  and  whiskey  going  up ;  we  gave  them  salt 
fish  and  a  broomstick  by  way  of  variety  on  their  return,  and  they  behaved 
very  well  under  the  latter  fare. 

We  started  again  down  with,  the  stream,  and  the  first  night  took  up 


DIARY  IN   AKBRIOA. 


fi7 


our  quarters  on  a  prairie  spot,  where  they  had  been  making  hay,  which 
was  lying  in  cocks  about  as.  To  have  a  soft  bed  we  carried  quantities 
into  our  tent,  forgetting  that  we  disturbed  the  mosquitoes  who  had  gone 
to  bed  in  the  hay.  We  smoked  the  tent  to  drive  them  out  again  ;  but 
in  smoking  the  tent  we  set  fire  to  the  hay,  and  it  ended  in  a  conflagration. 
We  were  burnt  out,  and  had  to  re-pitch  our  tent. 

I  was  sauntering  by  the  side  of  the  river  when  I  heard  a  rustling  in 
the  grass,  and  perceived  a  garter-snake,  an  elegant  and  harmless  little 
creature,  about  a  foot  and  a  naif  long.  It  had  a  small  toad  in  its  mouth, 
which  it  had  seized  by  the  head :  but  it  was  much  too  large  for  the  snake 
to  swallow,  without  leisure  and  preparation.  I  was  amused  at  the  pre- 
caution, I  may  say  invention  of  the  toad,  to  prevent  its  being  swallowed : 
it  had  inflate.]  itself,  till  it  was  as  round  as  a  bladder,  and  upon  this  issue 
was  joined — the  snake  would  not  let  go,  the  toad  would  not  be  swallow- 
ed. I  lifted  up  the  snake  by  the  tail  and  threw  them  three  or  four  yards 
into  the  river.  The  snake  rose  to  the  surface,  ac.  majestic  as  the  great 
sea  serpent  in  minature,  carrying  his  head  well  out  of  the  water,  with 
the  toad  still  in  his  mouth,  reminding  me  of  Caesar  with  his  Commen- 
taries. He  landed  close  to  my  feet ;  I  threw  him  in  again,  and  this 
time  he  let  go  the  toad,  which  remained  floating  and  inanimate  on  the 
water ;  but  after  a  time  he  discharged  his  superfluous  gas,  and  made  for 
the  shore ;  while  the  snake,  to  avoid  me,  swam  away  down  with  the 
currrent. 

The  next  morning  it  blew  hard,  and  as  we  opened  upon  Lake  Huron, 
we  had  to  encounter  a  heavy  sea ;  fortunately,  the  wind  was  fair  for 
the  island  of  Mackinaw,  or  we  might  have  been  delayed  for  some  days. 
As  soon  as  we  were  in  the  lake  we  made  sail,  having  flfty-six  miles  to 
run  before  it  was  dark.     The  gale  increased,  but  the  canoe  flew  over 
the  water,  skimming  it  like  a  sea  bird.     It  was  beautiful,  but  not  quite 
so  pleasant,  to  watch  it,  as,  upon  the  least  carelessness  on  the  part  of 
the  helmsman,  it  would  immediately  have  filled.     As  it  was,  we  ship- 
ped some  heavy  seas,  but  the  blankets  at  the  bottom  being  saturated, 
gave  us  the  extra  ballast  which  we  required.     Before  we  were  clear  of 
the  islands,  we  were  joined  by  a  whole  fleet  of  Indian  canoes,  with  their 
dirty  blankets  spread  to  the  storm,  running,  as  we  were,  for  Mackinaw, 
being  on  their  return  from  Maniton  Islands,  where  they  had  congregated 
to  receive  presents  from  the  Governor  of  Upper  Canada.     Their  canoes 
were,  most  of  them,  smaller  than  ours,  which  had  been  built  for  speed, 
but  they  were  much  higher  in  the  gunnel.     It  was  interesting  to  behold 
so  many  hundreds  of  beings  trusting  themselves  to  such  fragile  convey- 
ances, in  a  heavy  gale  and  running  sea  ;  but  the  harder  it  blew,  the  faster 
we  went ;  and  at  last,  much  to  my  satisfaction,  we  found  ourselves  in 
smooth  water  again,  alongside  of  the  landing  wharf  at  Mackinaw:     I 
had  some  wish  to  see  a  fresh- water  gale  of  wind,  but  in  a  birch  canoe  I 
never  wish  to  try  the  experiment  again. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Mackinaw. — I  mentioned  that,  in  my  trip  to  Lake  Superior,  I  was  ac- 
companied by  a  gentleman  attached  to  the  American  Fur  Company,  who 
have  a  station  at  this  island.  I  was  amusing  myself  in  their  establish- 
ment, superintending  the  unpacking  and  clearing  of  about  forty  or  fifty 
bales  of  skins,  and  during  the  time  collected  the  following  information. 
It  is  an  average  computation  of  the  furs  obtained  every  year,  and  the 


# 


68 


DIARY  IN  AMIRIOA. 


value  of  each  to  the  American  Fur  Company.  The  Hudson  Bay  Com« 
pany  are  supposed  to  average  about  (he  same  quantity,  or  rather  more  ; 
and  they  have  a  larger  proportion  of  valuable  furs,  such  as  beaver  and 
•able,  but  they  have  few  deer  and  no  Buffalo.  When  we  consider  how 
sterile  and  unfit  for  cultivation  are  these  wild  northern  regions,  it 
tainly  appears  better  that  they  should  remain  as  they  are  :^ 


cer- 


Skins. 

■ 

AvKBAOB  Amount. 

Deer,  four  varieties 

.     150,000 

45  cents  per  1|). 

Buffalo 

36,000 

6  dollars  per  skin. 

Elk        .       .      ,.       , 

800 

Beaver        .        . 

15,000 

4Mollars  per  lb. 

Musk  Rat       .        .        , 

.    600,000 

12  cents  per  skin. 

Otters 

6,000 

6jr  dollars  per  skin. 

•               •               fl 

2,500 

2 

do. 

Martin  or  Sable 

12,000 

2 

do.  or  more. 

Minx 

.      10,000 

Silver  and  Black  Fox  . 

16 

Crop  Fo-i 
Red  Fox 

100 

4  dollars  per  skin. 

3,000 

1 

do. 

Gray  Fox 

1,000 

1- 

do. 

Prairie  Fox 

6,000 

■  • 

do.       . 

Bears 

4,000 

4- 
2 

do. 

Lvnx 

500 

do. 

>Vild  Cat        .        . 

2,000 

2. 

do. 

Racoon        .        ... 

70,000 

do. 

Wolves           .        , 

.       12,000 

do. 

Wolverine 

fiO 

2 

do. 

Panthers          .        . 

50 

Badgers 

250 

4 

do. 

besides  skunks,  ground  hogs,  hares,  and  many  others.  These  are  priced 
at  the  lowest ;  in  proportion  as  the  skins  are  finer,  so  do  they  yield  a 
higher  profit.  The  two  companies  may  be  said  to  receive,  between 
them,  skins  yearly  to  the  amount  of  from  two  ta  three  millions  of  dol* 
lars. 

Fable  appropos  to  the  subject. 

A  hare  and  a  fox  met  one  day  on  the  vast  prairie,  and  after  a  long  con* 
versation  they  prepared  to  start  upon  their  several  routes.  The  hare, 
pleased  with  the  fox,  lamented  that  they  would  in  all  probability  separate 
for  ever.  "  No,  no,"  replied  the  fox,  "  we  shall  meet  again,  never  fear." 
•*  Where  1"  inquired  his  companion.  "  In  the  hatter's  shop,  to  be  sure," 
rejoined  the  fox,  tripping  lightly  away. . 

Detroit. — There  are  some  pleasant  people  in  this  town,  and  the  society 
is  quite  equal  to  that  of  the  eastern  cities.  From  the  constant  change 
and  transition  which  take  place  in  this  country,  go  where  you  will  you 
are  sure  to  fall  in  with  a  certain  portion  of  mtelligent,  educated  peo- 
ple. This  is  not  the  case  in  the  remoter  portions  of  the  old  continent, 
where  everything  is  settled,  and  generation  succeeds  generation,  as  in 
some  obscure  country  town.  But  in  America,  where  all  is  new,  and  the 
country  has  to  be  peopled  from  the  other  parts,  there  is  a  proportion  of 
intelligence  and  education  transplanted  with  the  inferior  classes,  either 


BIART  IN  AMEKIOI. 


io 


from  the  eastern  states  or  from  the  old  world,  in  whatever  quarter  you 
may  happen  to  find  yourself. 

Left  my  friends  at  Detroit  with  regret,  and  returned  to  Buffalo.  There 
is  a  marked  difference  between  the  behaviour  of  the  lower  people  of  the 
eastern  cities  and  those  whom  you  fall  in  with  in  this  town  ;  they  are 
much  less  civil  in  their  behaviour  here ;  indeed,  they  appear  to  think 
rudeness  a  proof  of  independence.  I  went  to  the  theatre,  and  the  be- 
haviour of  the  majority  of  the  company  just  reminded  me  of  the  Ports- 
mouth and  Plymouth  theatres.  I  had  forgotten  that  Buffalo  was  a  fresh- 
water sea-port  town. 

Returning  to  Niagara,  I  took  possession  of  the  roof  of  the  rail-coach, 
that  I  might  enjoy  the  prospect.  I  had  not  travelled  three  miles  before  I 
perceived  a  strong  smell  of  burning  ;  at  last  the  pocket  of  my  coat,  which 
was  of  cotton,  burst  out  into  flames,  a  spark  having  found  its  way  to  it : 
fortunately  (not  being  insured)  there  was  no  property  on  the  premises. 

When  the  celebrated  Colonel  David  Crockett  first  saw  a  locomotive, 
with  the  train  smoking  along  the  railroad,  he  exclaimed,  as  it  flew  past 
him,  "  Hell  in  harness,  by  the  'tarnal !" 

I  may,  in  juxtaposition  with  this,  mention  an  Indian  idea.  Nothing 
surprised  the  Indians  so  much  at  first,  as  the  percussion-caps  for  guns : 
they  tlisu^ht  them  the  ne  plus  ultra  of  invention  :  when,  therefore,  an 
Indian  was  first  shown  a  locomotive,  he  reflected  a  little  while,  and  then 
said,  " I  see — percussion" 

There  is  a  beautiful  island  dividing  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  called  Goat 
Island  :  they  have  there  a  bridge  across  the  rapids,  so  that  you  can  now 
go  over.  A  mill  has  already  been  erected  there,  which  is  a  great  pity  ; 
it  is  a  contemptible  disfigurement  of  nature's  grandest  work. 

At  the  head  of  the  island,  which  is  surrounded  by  the  rapids,  exactly 
where  the  waters  divide  to  run  on  each  side  of  it,  there  is  a  small  trian 
gular  portion  of  still  or  slack  water.  I  perceived  this,  and  went  in  to 
bathe.  The  line  of  the  current  on  each  side  of  it  is  plainly  marked,  and 
runs  at  the  speed  of  nine  or  ten  miles  an  hour ;  if  you  put  your  hand  or 
foot  a  httle  way  outside  of  this  line,  they  are  immediately  borne  away  by 
its  force  ;  if  you  went  into  ic  yourself,  nothing  could  prevent  your  going 
down  the  falls.  As  I  returned,  I  observed  an  ugly  snake  in  my  path, 
and  I  killed  it.  An  American,  who  came  up,  exclaimed,  "  I  reckon  that's 
a  eopper-head,  stranger  1  I  never  knew  that  they  were  in  this  island."  I 
found  out  that  I  had  killed  a  snake  quite  as  venomous,  if  not  more  so, 
than  a  rattlesnake. 

One  never  tires  with  these  falls ;  indeed,  it  takes  a  week  at  least  to 
find  out  all  their  varieties  and  beauties.  There  are  some  sweet  spots  on 
Goat  Island,  where  you  can  meditate  and  be  alone. 

I  witnessed,  during  my  short  stay  here,  that  indifference  to  the  de- 
struction of  life,  so  very  remarkable  in  this  country.  The  rail-car  crushed 
the  head  of  a  child  of  about  seven  years  old,  as  it  was  going  into  the 
engine-house ;  the  other  children  ran  to  the  father,  a  blacksmith,  who 
was  at  work  at  his  forge  close  by,  crying  out  "  Father,  Billy  killed." 
The  man  put  down  his  hammer,  walked  leisurely  to  where  the  boy 
lay,  in  a  pool  of  his  own  blood,  took  up  the  body,  and  returned  with  it 
under  his  arm  to  his  house.  In  a  short  time  the  hammer  rang  upon  the 
anvil  as  before. 

The  game  of  nine-pins  is  a  favourite  game  in  America,  and  very  su- 
perior to  what  it  is  in  England.  In  America,  the  ground  is  always  co- 
vered properly  over,  and  the  balls  are  rolled  upon  a  wooden  floor,  as  cor- 


I  J 


80 


DIARY  IN  IMIRIOA. 


KCtly  levelled  as  a  billiard  table.  The  ladies  join  in  the  game,  which 
here  becomes  an  agreeable  and  not  too  fatiguing  an  exercise.  I  was  very 
fond  of  frequenting  their  alleys,  not  only  for  the  exercise,  but  because, 
among  the  various  ways  of  estimating  character,  I  had  made  up  my  mind 
that  there  was  none  more  likely  to  be  correct,  than  the  estimate  formed 
by  the  manner  in  which  people  roll  the  balls,  especially  the  ladies.  There 
were  some  very  delightful  specimens  of  American  females  when  I  was 
this  time  at  Niagara.  We  sauntered  about  the  falls  and  wood  in  the 
day  time,  or  else  played  at  nine-pins ;  in  the  evening  we  looked  at  the 
moon,  spouted  verses,  and  drank  mint  juleps.  But  ail  that  was  too  plea- 
sant  to  last  long :  I  felt  that  I  had  not  come  to  America  to  play  at  nine- 
pins ;  so  I  tore  myself  away,  and  within  the  next  twenty-four  hours  found 
myself  at  Toronto,  in  Upper  Canada. 

Toronto,  which  is  the  present  capital  and  seat  of  government  of  Upper 
Canada,  is,  from  its  want  of  spires  and  steeples,  by  no  means  an  impos- 
ing town,  as  you  view  it  on  entering  the  harbour.  The  harbour  itself  is 
landlocked,  and  when  deepened  will  be  very  good.  A  great  deal  of  mo- 
ney has  been  expended  by  the  English  government  upon  the  Canadian 
provinces,  but  not  very  wisely.  The  Rideau  and  Welland  canals  are 
splendid  works ;  they  have  nothing  to  compare  with  them  in  the  United 
States ;  but  they  are  too  much  in  advance  of  the  country,  and  will  be  of 
but  little  use  for  a  long  period,  if  the  provinces  do  not  go  a-head  faster 
than  they  do  now.  One  half  the  money  spent  in  making  good  roads 
through  the  provinces  would  have  done  more  good,  and  would  have  much 
increased  the  value  of  property.  The  proposed  rail-road  from  Hamilton 
to  Detroit  would  be  of  greater  importance ;  and  if  more  money  is  to  be 
expended  on  Upper  Canada,  it  cannot  be  better  disposed  of  than  in  this 
undertaking. 

The  minute  you  put  your  foot  on  shore,  you  feel  that  you  are  no  longer 
in  the  United  States ;  you  are  at  once  struck  with  the  difference  between 
the  English  and  the  American  population,  systems,  and  ideas.  On  the 
other  side  of  the  lake  you  have  much  more  apparent  property,  but  much 
less  real  solidity  and  security.  The  houses  and  stores  at  Toronto  are  not 
to  be  compared  with  those  of  the  American  towns  opposite.  But  the 
Englishman  has  built  according  to  his  means — the  American,  according 
to  his -expectations.  The  hotels  and  inns  at  Toronto  are  very  bad ;  at 
Buffalo  they  are  splendid  :  for  the  Englishman  travels  little  ;  the  Ame- 
rican is  ever  on  the  move.  The  private  houses  of  Toronto  are  built, 
according  to  the  English  taste  and  desire  of  exclusiveneas,  away  from  the 
road,  and  are  embowered  in  trees ;  the  American,  let  his  house  be  ever 
fio  large,  or  his  plot  of  ground,  however  extensive,  builds  within  a  few 
feet  of  the  road,  that  he  may  see  and  know  what  is  going  on.  You  dp 
not  perceive  the  bustle,  the  energy,  and  activity  at  Toronto-  that  you  do 
at  Buffalo,  nor  the  profusion  of  articles  in  the  stores ;  but  it  should  be 
remembered  that  the  Americans  procure  their  articles  upon  credit,  whilst 
&t  Toronto  they  proceed  more  cautiously.  The  Englishman  builds  his 
house  and  furnishes  his  store  according  to  his  means  and  fair  expecta- 
tions of  being  able  to  meet  his  acceptances.  If  an  American  has  money 
eufScient  to  build  a  two-story  house,  he  will  raise  it  up  to  four  stories  on 
epeculation.  We  must  not,  on  one  side,  be  dazzled  with  the  effects  of 
the  credit  system  in  America,  nor  yet  be  too  hasty  in  condemning  it.  It ' 
certainly  is  the  occasion  of  much  over-speculation ;  but  if  the  parties  who 
speculate  are  ruined,  provided  the  money  has  been  laid  out,  as  it  usually 
is  in  America,  upon  real  property— such  as  wharves,  houses,  &c. — a  new 


t 


SUBT   IN  IHHIOA. 


61 


country  becomes  a  gainer,  as  the  improTementa  are  nuide  and  remain> 
although  they  fall  into  other  hands.  And  it  ahould  be  farther  pointed 
out,  that  the  Americans  are  justified  in  their  speculations  from  the  fact, 
that  property  improved  rises  so  fast  in  value,  that  they  are  soon  able  to 
meet  all  clamis  and  realize  «  handsome  profit.  They  speeuUte  on  the 
future  ;  but  the  future  with  them  is  not  distant  as  it  is  with  us,  ten  years 
in  America  being,  as  I  have  before  observed,  equal  to  a  century  in  Eu- 
rope :  they  are  therefore  warranted  in  so  speculating.  The  property  in 
Buffalo  is  now  worth  one  hundred  times  what  it  was  when  the  first  spe- 
culators commenced ;  for  as  the  country  and  cities  become  peopled,  and 
the  communication  becomes  easy,  so  does  the  value  of  everything  in- 
crease. 

Why,  then,  does  not  Toronto  vie  with  Buffalo '!  Because  the  Cantidaa 
cannot  obtain  the  credit  which  is  given  to  the  United  States,  and  of 
which  Buffalo  has  her  portion.  America  has  returns  to  make  to  England 
in  her  cotton  crops  :  Canada  has  nothing  ;  for  her  timber  would  be  no- 
thing if  it  were  not  protected.  She  cannot,  therefore,  obtain  credit  as 
America  does.  What,  then,  do  the  Canadas  require,  in  order  to  become 
prosperous  1    Capital ! 

I  must  not,  however,  omit  to  inform  my  readers  that  at  Toronto  I 
received  a  letter  from  a  "  Brother  Author,"  who  was  polite  enough  to 
send  mo  several  specimens  of  his  poetry ;  stating  the  remarkable  fact, 
that  he  had  never  written  a  verse  until  he  was  forty-five  years  of  age ; 
and  that,  as  to  the  unfair  accusation  of  his  having  plagiarized  from  Byron, 
it  was  not  true,  for  he  never  had  read  Byron  in  his  life.  Having  put  the 
reader  in  possession  of  these  facts,  I  shall  now  select  one  of  his  printed 
poems  for  his  gratification  : — 

From  the  regaid  the  author  has  for  the  Ladies  of  Toronto^  he  presents 
thtem  with  the  following 

ODE. 

To  the  Ladies  of  the  City  of  Toronto. 

1.  How  famed  is  our  city  • 

For  the  beauty  and  talents 
Of  our  ladies,  that's  pretty 
.  And  chaste  in  their  sentiments. 

2.  The  ladies  of  Toronto  , 

Are  fine,  noble,  and  charming. 
And  are  a  great  memento 
To  all,  most  fascinating. 

3.  Our  ladies  are  the  best  kind, 

'  Of  all  others  the  most  fine  ; 

In  their  manners  and  their  minds 
Most  refined  and  genuine. 

4.  We  are  proud  of  our  ladies,      ^ 

For  they  are  superior  *       , 

To  all  other  beauties, 
And  others  are  inferior. 

5.  How  favoured  is  our  land,  ^ 

To  be  honoured  with  the  fair; 
That  is  so  majestic  grand ! 
And  to  please  theaa  is  oar  ci}«. 
C 


# 


63 


DIARY  IN  AMIRIOA. 

Who  would  not  choose  them  before 
All  otheri  that's  to  l)e  found, 

And  think  of  others  no  more  ? 
Their  like  is  not  in  the  world  round. 


ToROifTo,  2l8t  Jan.  1637. 


T.  S. 


'  'V 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Throdoh  Lake  Ontario  to  Montreal,  by  railroad  to  Lake  Champlain, 
and  then  by  steam-boat  to  Burlington. 

Burlington  is  a  pretty  county  town  on  the  border  of  the  Lake  Cham' 
plain  ;  there  is  a  large  establishment  for  the  education  of  hoys  kept  here 
by  the  bishop  of  Vermont,  a  clever  man  :  it  is  said  to  be  well  conducted, 
and  one  of  the  best  in  the  Union.  The  bishop's  salary,  as  bishop,  io 
only  five  hundred  dollars ;  as  a  preacher  of  the  established  church  he  re< 
ceivos  seven  hundred ;  while  as  a  schoolmaster  his  revenue  becomes 
very  handsome.  The  bishop  is  just  now  in  bad  odour  with  the  majority, 
for  having  published  some  very  sensible  objections  to  the  revivals  and 
Temperance  Societies. 

'  Plattsburg. — This  was  the  scene  of  an  ;  American  triumph.  I  was 
talking  with  a  states  officer,  who  was  present  during  the  whole  affair,  and 
was  much  amused  with  his  description  of  it.  There  appeared  to  be  some 
fatality  attending  almost  all  our  attacks  upon  America  during  the  last 
war ;  and  it  should  bo  remarked,  that  whenever  the  Americans  entered 
upon  our  territory,  they  met  with  similar  defeat.  Much  allowance  must 
of  course  be  made  for  ignorance  of  the  country,  and  of  the  strength  and 
disposition  of  the  enemy's  force  ;  but  certainly  there  was  no  excuse  for 
the  indecision  shown  by  the  British  general,  with  such  a  force  as  he  had 
under  his  command.  ^, 

Now  that  the  rpal  facts  are  known,  one  hardly  knows  whether  to  laugh 
or  feel  indignant.  The  person  from  whom  I  had  the  information  is  of 
undoubted  respectability.  At  the  time  that  our  general  advanced  with 
an  army  of  7,000  peninsular  troops,  there  were  but  1,000  militia  at 
Plattsburg)  those  ordered  out  from  the  interior  of  the  state  not  having 
arrived.  It  is  true  that  there  were  2,000  of  the  Vermont  militia  at  Bur- 
lington, opposite  to  Plattsburg,  but  when  they  were  sent  for,  they  refused 
to  go  there  ;  they  were  alarmed  at  the  preponderating  force  of  the  British, 
and  they  stood  upon  their  state  rights — i.  e.  militia  raised  in  a  state  are 
not  bound  to  leave  it,  being  raised  for  the  defence  of  that  state  alone. 
The  small  force  at  Plattsburg  hardly  knew  whether  to  retreat  or  not ; 
they  expected  large  reinforcements  under  General  Macomb,  but  did  not 
know  when  they  would  come.  At  last  it  was  proposed  and  agreed  to,  that 
they  should  spread  themselves  and  keep  up  an  incessant  hring,  but  out 
of  distance,  so  as  to  make  the  British  believe  they  had  a  much  larger 
force  than  they  really  possessed ;  and  on  this  judicious  plan  they  acted, 
and  succeeded. 

In  the  meantime,  the  British  general  was  anxious  for  the  assistance  of 
the  squadron  on  the  lakes,  under  Commodore  Downie,  and  pressed  him 
to  the  attack  of  the  American  squadron  then  off  Plattsburg.  Some 
sharp  remarks  from  the  general  proved  fatal  to  our  cause  by  water. 
Downie,  stung  by  his  msinuations,  rushed  inconsiderately  into  a  close  en- 
gagement. Now,  Commodore  Downie's  vessels  had  all  long  guns — 
McDonough's  vessels  had  only  canonades.  Had,  therefore  Downie  not 
thrown  away  this  advantage,  by  engaging  at  close  quarters,  there  is  fair 


» 


DURT   IN  AMERICA. 


63 


reABOn  to  suppose  that  the  victory  would  hare  been  ours,  as  he  could 
have  chosen  his  distance,  and  the  fire  of  the  American  vessels  would  have 
been  comparatively  harmless ;  but  he  ran  down  close  to  McDonough't 
fleet,  and  engaged  them  broadside  to  broadside,  and  then  the  earronades 
of  the  Americans,  being  of  heavy  calibre,  threw  the  advantage  on  their 
side.  Downie  was  killed  by  the  wind  of  a  shot  a  few  minutes  after  the 
commencement  of  the  action.  Still  it  was  the  hardest  contested  action 
of  the  war  ;  Pring  beine  well  worthy  to  take  Downie's  place. 

It  was  impossible  to  nave  done  more  on  either  side  ;  and  the  gentle- 
man who  gave  me  this  information  added,  that  McDonough  told  him  that 
80  nicely  balanced  were  the  chances,  that  he  took  out  his  watch  just  before 
the  British  colours  were  hauled  down,  and  observed,  "  If  they  hold  out 
ten  minutes  more,  it  will  be  more  than,  I  am  afraid,  we  can  do."  Aa 
soon  as  the  victory  was  decided  on  the  part  of  the  Americans,  the  British 
general  commenced  his  retreat,  and  was  followed  by  this  handful  of 
militia.  In  a  day  or  two  afterward,  General  Macomb  came  up,  and  a 
large  force  was  pioured  in  from  all  quarters. 

There  was  something  very  similar,  and  quite  as  ridiculous  in  the  affair 
at  Sackett's  Harbour.  Our  forces  advancing  would  have  cut  off  some 
hundreds  of  the  American  militia,  who  were  really  retreating,  but  by  a 
road  which  lead  in  such  a  direction,  as  for  a  time  to  make  toe  Engfisb 
commandant  suppose  that  they  were  intending  to  take  him  in  flank.  This 
made  him  imagine  that  they  must  be  advancmg  in  large  numbers,  when, 
the  fact  was,  they  were  running  away  from  his  superior  force.  He  made 
a  retreat ;  upon  ascertaining  which  the  Americans  turned  back  and  fol- 
lowed hint,  harassing  his  rear. 

I  was  told,  at  Baltimore,  that  had  the  English  advanced,  the  American 
militia  was  quite  ready  to  run  away,  not  having  any  idea  of  opposing 
themselves  to  trained  soldiers.  It  really  was  very  absurd  ;  but  m  many 
instances  during  the  war,  which  have  come  to  my  knowledge,  it  was  ex- 
actly this, — '•  Ifyou  don't  run,  I  will ;  but  if  you  will,  I  wont !" 

The  name  civen  by  the  French  to  Vermont,  designates  the  features  of 
the  country,  which  is  composed  of  small  mountains,' covered  with  verdure 
to  their  summits ;  but  the  land  is  by  no  means  good. 

At  the  bottoms,  on  the  banks  of  the  rivers,  the  alluvial  soil  is  rich,  and 
generally  speaking,  the  land  in  this  state  admits  of  cultivation  about 
half-way  up  the  mountains ;  after  which  it  is  fit  for  nothing  but  sheep- 
walks,  or  to  grow  small  timber  upon.  I  have  travelled  much  in  the  East- 
ern states,  and  have  been  surprised  to  find  how  very  small  a  portion  of 
all  of  them  is  under  cultivation,  considering  how  long  they  have  been  set- 
tled ;  nor  will  there  be  more  of  the  land  taken  up,  I  presume,  for  a  long 
period :  that  is  to  say,  until  the  West  is  so  over-peopled  that  a  reflux 
is  compelled  to  fall  back  into  the  Eastern  states,  and  the  crowded  masses, 
like  the  Gulf-stream,  find  vent  to  the  northward  and  eastward. 

Set  off  by  coach,  long  before  daylight.  There  is  something  very  grati- 
fying when  once  you  are  up,  in  finding  yourself  up  before  the  sun  ;  you 
can  repeat  to  yourself,  "  How  doth  the  little  busy  bee,"  with  such  satis- 
faction. Some  few  stars  still  twinkled  in  the"  sky,  winkin^like  the  eye- 
lids of  tired  sentinels,  but  soon  they  were  relieved,  one  after  another,  by 
the  light  of  rabrning. 

It  was  still  dark  when  we  started,  and  off  we  went,  up  hill  and  down 
hill — short  steep  pitches,  as  they  term  them  here — at  a  furious  rate. 
There  was  no  level  ground ;  it  was  all  undulating,  and  very  trying  to  the 
ppnngs.    But  an  American  driver  stops  at  notlung ;  he  will  flog  away 


M 


DUKY  IK   AMEBICA. 


k 


with  lix  horses  in  hand  ;  %nd  it  is  wonderful  how  fbw  accidents  happen  ; 
but  it  is  vory  fatiguing,  anJ  one  hundred  miles  of  American  travelling  by 
•tags,  is  equal  to  four  hundred  in  England. 

There  is  much  amusement  to  be  extracted  from  the  drivers  of  these 
stages,  if  you  will  take  your  seat  with  them  on  the  front,  which  few 
Americans  do,  as  they  prefer  the  inside.  One  of  the  drivers,  soon  after 
we  had  changed  our  team,  called  out  to  the  off-leader,  as  he  flanked  her 
■with  his  whip,  '•  Go  along,  you  no-tongued  crittur !" 

"   Vhy  ruhtongued  ?"  inquired  I. 

"  Well,  I  reckon  she  has  no  tongue,  having  bitten  it  off  herself,  I  was 
going  to  sty — but  it  wasn't  exactly  lluit,  neither." 

"How  was  it  then  1" 

*'  WeU,  now,  the  fact  is,  that  she  is  awful  ugly  (ill-tempered) ;  she 
bites  liku  a  badger,  and  kicks  up  as  high  as  the  church  steeple.  She's 
an  almighty  crittur  to  handle.  I  was  trying  to  hitch  her  under-jaw  like, 
with  the  halter,  when  she  worretted  so,  that  I  could  only  hitch  her  tongue ; 
she  ran  back,  the  end  of  the  halter  was  fast  to  the  ring,  and  so  she  left 
her  tongue  in  tho  hitch — that's  a  fact .'" 

"  I  wonder  it  didn't  kill.hor  ;  didn't  she  bleed  very  much  T  How  does 
she  contrive  to  eat  her  com  1" 

"  Well  now,  she  bled  pretty  considerable — but  not  to  speak,  of.  I  did 
keep  her  one  day  in  the  stable,  because  I  thoueht  she  might  feel  gueer ; 
since  that  she  has  worked  in  the  team  every  Jay  ;  and  she  eat  her  peck 
of  corn  with  any  horse  in  the  stable.  But  her  tongue  is  out,  that's  cer- 
tain— so  she'll  tell  no  more  lies  /" 

Not  the  least  doubting  my  friend's  veracity,  I,  nevertheless,  took  an 
opportunity,  when  we  changed,  of  ascertaining  the  fact  ;  and  her  tongue 
yrtLB  half  of  it  out,  that  is  the  fact. 

When  we  stopped,  we  had  to  shift  the  luggage  ta  another  coach.  Thi» 
driver,  who  was  a  slight  man,  was  /6r  some  time  looking  rather  puzzled 
at  the  trunks  which  lay  |on  the  road,  and  which  he  had  to  put  on  the 
coach :  he  tried  to  lift  one  of  the  largest,  let  it  down  again,  and  then 
beckoned  to  me : — 

"  I  say,  captain,  them  four  large  trunks  be  rather  overmuch  for  me  ; 
but  I  guess  you  can  master  them,  so  just  lift  them  up  on  the  hind  board 
for  me.'* 

I  complied ;  ^nd  as  I  had  to  lift  them  as  high  as  my  head,  they  required 
all  nw  strength. 

"  Thank  ye,  captain ;  don't  trouble  yourself  any  more,  the  rest  be  all 
right,  and  I  can  manage  them  myself." 

The  Americans  never  refuse  to  assist  each  other  in  such  difRculties  as 
this.  In  a  yoiipg  country  they  must  assist  each  other  if  they  wish  te  be 
assisted  theniaulves — and  there  always  will  be  a  mutual  dependence.  If 
a  man  is  in  a  fix  in  America,  every  one  stops  to  assist  him,  and  expects 
the  same  for  himself. 

Bellows  Falls,  a  beautiful  romantic  spot  on  the  Connecticut  river, 
which  separates  the  states  of  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont.  The 
masses  of  rocks  through  which  the  river  forces  its  way  at  the  Falls,  are 
very  grand  and  imposing ;  and  the  surrounding  hills  rich  with  the  au- 
tumnal tints,  rivet  the  eye.  On  these  masses  of  rocks  are  manjr  faces, 
cut  out  by  the  tribe  of  Pequod  Indians,  who  formerly  used  to  fish  in  their 
waters.  Being  informed  that  there  was  to  be  a  militia  muster,  I  resolved 
to  attend  it. 

The  militia  service  is  not  in  good  odour  with  the  Americans  just  now* 


M, 


!    How  does 


leans  just  now* 


DUIY  IN  AMCItCA.  W 

Formerly,  when  they  did  try  to  do  as  well  as  they  could,  the  scene  was 
absurd  enouah  :  but  now  they  do  all  thoy  can  to  make  it  ridiculous.     In 
this  muster  there  were  three  or  four  companies  well  eqoipped  ,  but  the 
major  part  of  the  men  were  what  they  call  here  flood-wood,  that  is  of  all 
sizes  and  heights — a  term  suggested  by  the  pieces  of  wood  borne  down 
by  the  freshets  of  the  river,  ind  which  are  of  all  sorts,  sizes,  and  lengths. 
But  not  only  were  the  men  of  all  sorts  and  sizes,  but  the  uniforms  also, 
some  of  which  were  the  most  extraordinary  I  ever  beheld,  and  not  unlike 
the  calico  dresses  worn  by  the  tumblers  and  vaulters  at  rai  English  fair. 
As  for  the  exercise,  they  eithtr  did  not,  or  would  not,  know  anything 
about  it ;  indeed,  as  thev  are  now  mustered  but  once  a>yt<«r,  it  cannot  be 
expected  that  they  should  ;  bit  is  they  faced  every  way,  and  made  mis- 
takes on  purpose,  it  is  evident,  from  their  consistent  pertinacity  in  being 
wrong,  that  they  did  know  something.     When  they  marched  oiT  ainffle* 
file,  quick  time,  they  were  one-half  of  them  dancmg  in  and  out  of  trie 
ranks  to  the  lively  tune  which  was  played — the  only  instance  I  saw  of 
their  keeping  time.    But  the  most  amusmg  part  of  the  ceremony  was  the 
speech  made  by  the  brigade-major,  whose  patience  had  certainly  been 
tried,  and  who  wished  to  impress  his  countrymen  with  the  importance  of 
the  militia.     He  ordered  them  to  form  a  hollow  8(^uare.     They  formed  a 
circle,  proving  that  if  they  could  not  square  the  circle,  at  all  events  they 
could  circle  the  square,  which  is  coming  very  near  to  it.    The  major 
found  himself,  on  his  white  horse,  in  an  arena  about  as  large  as  that  in 
which  Mr.  Ducrow  performs  at  Astley's.     He  then  commenced  a  sort  of 
perambulating  equestrian  speech,  riding  round  and  round  the  circle,  with 
his  cocked  hat  in  his  hand.     As  the  arena  was  large,  and  he  constantly 
turned  his  head  as  he  spoke  to  those  nearest  to  him  in  the  circle,  it  was 
only  when  he  came  to  within  a  few  yards  of  you,  that  you  could  distin- 
guish  what  he  was  saying  ;  and  of  course  the  auditors  at  the  other  point 
were  in  the  same  predicament.      However,    he  divided  his  speech 
out  in  portions  very  equally,  and  those  which  came  to  my  share  were  as 
follows  : 
. "  Yes,  gentlemen — the  president,  senate,  and  house  of  representatives, 

and  all  others you  militia,  the  bones  and  muscle  of  the  land,  and  by 

whom Eagle  of  America  shall  ruffle  her  wings,  will  ever  dart 

those  days  so  glorious,  when  our  gallant  forefathers terrible  effect  of 

the  use  of  ardent  spirits,  and  showing temperance  societies,  the  full 

benefits  of  which,  I  am star-spangled  banner,  ever  victorious,  blazing 

like— "  '[ 

The  last  word  I  heard  was  gbry  ;  but  his  audience  being  very  impa- 
tient for  their  dinner,  cried  out  loudly  for  it — preferring  it  to  the  mouth- 
fuls  of  eloquence  which  fell  to  their  share,  but  didf  not  stay  their  stomach. 
Altogether  it  was  a  scene  of  much  fun  and  good-humour. 

Stopped  at  the  pretty  village,  Charlestown,  celebrated  for  the  defence 
it  made  during  the  French  war.  There  is  here,  running  by  the  river  side,' 
a  turnpike  road,  whipn  gave  great  offence  to  the  American  citizens  of 
this  state  ;  they  declared  that  to  pay  toll  was  monarchical,  as  they  always 
assert  everything  t6  be  which  taxes  their  pockets.  So,  one  fine  night, 
they  assembled"  with  a  hawser  and  a  team  or  two  of  horses,  made  the 
hawser  fast  to  the  house  at  the  gate,  dragged  it  down  to  the  river,  and 
sent  it  floating  down  the  stream,  with  the  gate  and  board  of  tolls  in  com- 
pany with  it. 

Progressing  in  the  stage,  I  had  a  very  amusing  specimen  of  the  ruling 
passion  of  the  country — the  spirit  of  barter,  which  is  communicated  to 

6* 


i' 


8ir 


DURY  IN  AHERlOi. 


*^he  females,  as  well  as  to  the  boys.  I  will  stop  for  a  moment,  howerec, 
*'o  say,  that  I  heard  of  an  American,  who  had  two  sons,  and  he  declared 
^at  they  were  so  clerer  at  barter,  that  he  locked  them  both  up  together 
in  a  room,  without  a  cent  in  their  pockets,  and  that  before  they  had 
stoopped  for  an  hour,  they  had  each  gained  two  dollars  a-piece.  But  now 
for  my  fellow-passengers — both  young,  both  good-looking,  and  both  ladies, 
and  evidently  weire  total  strangers  to  each  other.  One  had  a  pretty  pink 
silk  bonnet,  very  fine  for  travelling  ;  the  other,  an  indifferent  plush  one. 
The  young  isdy  in  the  plush,  eyed  the  pink  bonnet  for  some  time  ;  art 
last  Pluth  observed  in  a  drawling  half-indifferent  way  : 

"  That's  rather  a  pretty  bonnet  of  your's,  miss." 

"  Why,  yes,  I  calculate  it's  rather  smart,"  teplied  Pink. 

After  a  pause  and  closer  survey. — "  You  wouldn't  have  any  objection 
to  part  with  it,  missV 

"  Well  now,  I  dbnl  know  but  I  might ;  I  have  worn  it  but  three  days, 
I  reckon." 

"  Oh,  my  t  I  should  have  reckoned  that  you  carried  it  longer — per- 
haps it  rained  on  them  three  days." 

"  I've  a  notion  it  didn't  rain,  not  one.^It's  not  the  only  bonnet  I  have, 
miss." 

"  Wielll  now,  I  should  not  mind  an  exchange,  and  paying  you  the 
hdanee." 

"  That's  an  awful  thing  that  you  have  on;  miss." 

"  I  rather  thinknot,  but  that's  as  may  be — Come,  miss,  what  will  yoa 
takel" 

"  Why  I  don't  know,  what  will  you  giv&'?" 

"I  reckon  you'll  know  best  when  you  answer  my  question." 

"  Well,  then,  I  shouldn't  like  less  than  five  dollars."  >      *  '| 

"  Five  dollars  and  my  bonnet !  X  reckon  two  would"  be  nearer  the> 
mark — ^but  it's  of  no  consequence." 

"  None  in  the  least,  miss,  only  I  know  the  valUe  of  .ny  bonnet.  **  We'll 
say  no  more  about  it." 

"  Just  so,  miss." 

A  pause  and  a  silence  for  half  a  minute,  when  Miss  Plush  looks  out  of 
the  window,  and  says,  as  if  talking  to  herself,  "  I  shouldn't  mind  giving 
four  dollars,  but  no  more."  She  then  fell  back  in  her  seat;  when  Miss 
Pink,  put  her  head  out  of  the  window,  and  said':  "  I  shouldn't  refuse 
four  dollars  after  all;  if  it  was  offered,"  and  then  she  fell  back  to  her  for- 
mer  position. 

"  Did  you  think  of  taking  four  dollars,  miss?" 

"  Well !  I  doni  care,  I've  plenty  of  bonnets  at  home." 

"  Well,"^  replied  Plush,  taking  out  her  purse,  and  offbring  her  th^ 
money. 

"What  bank  is  this,  miss  1" 

"  Oh,  all's  right  there,  Safety  Fund,  I  calculate." 

The  two  ladies  exchange  bonnets,  and  Pink  pockets  the  balance. 

I  may  here  just  as  weU  mention  the  custom  of  whittling,  which  is  so 
common  in  the  Eastern  states.  It  is  a  habit,  arising  from  the  natural 
restlessness  of  the  American  when  he  is  not  employed,  of  cutting  a  piece 
of  stick,  or  anything  else,  with  his  knife.  Some  are  so  wedded  to  it 
from  long  custom,  tnat'if  they  have  not  a  piece  of  stick  to  cut,  they  will 
whittle  the  backs  of  the  chairs,  or  anything  within  their  reach.  A  Yan- 
kee shown  into  a  room  to  await  the  arrival  of  another,  has  been  known 
to  whittle  away  nearly  the  whole  of  the  mantel-piece.    Lawyers  in  oour> 

■■»■ 


DIXRY   IN  AMERICA. 


67 


whittle  away  at  the  table  before  them  i  and  judges  will  cut  through  their 
own  bench.  In  some  courts,  they  put  sticks  before  noted  whittlers  to 
save' the  furniture.  The  Down  Easters,  as  the  Yankees  are  termed  gene- 
rally,  whittle  when  they  are  making  a  bargain,  as  it  fills  up  the  pauses, 
gives  them  time  for  reflection,  and  moreover,  prevents  any  examination 
of  the  countenance — for  in  bargaining,  like  in  the  game  of  brag,  the 
countenance  is  carefully  watched,  as  an  index  to  the  wishes.  I  was  once 
witness  to  a  bargain  made  between  two  respectable  Yankees,  who  wished 
to  agree  about  a  farm,  and  in  which  whitthng  was  resorted  to. 

They  sat  down  on  a  log  of  wood,  about  three  or  four  feet  apart  from 
each  other,  with  their  faces  turned  opposite  ways — '.that  is,  one  had  his 
legs  on  one  side  of  the  log  with  his  face  to  the  east,  and  the  other  his 
legs  on  the  other  side  with  his  face  to  the  west.  One  had  a  piece  of  soft 
wood,  aad  was  sawing  it  with  his  penknife  ;  the  other  had  an  unbarked 
hickory  stick  which  he  was  peeling  for  a  walking-stick.  The  reader  will 
perceive  a  strong  analogy  between  this  bargain  and  that  in  the  stage  be* 
tween  the  two  ladies. 

"  Well,  good  morning — and  about  this  fanul" 

"I  don't  know;  what  will  you  take  1" 

"  What  will  you  give  V  ^ 

Silence,  and  whittle  away. 

"  Well,  I  should  think  two  thousand  dollars,  a  heap  of  money  for  this 
farm." 

"  I*ve  a  notion  it  will  never  go  for  three  thousand,  any  how." 

"  There's  a  fine  farm,  and  cheaper,  on  the  north  side." 

"  But  where's  the  sun  to  ripen  the  com  T" 

"  Sun  shines  on  all  alike."  '  * 

•  Not  exactly  through  a  Vermont  hill,  I  reckon.     The  driver  offered 
me  as  much  as  I  s^y,  if  I  recollect  right." 

"  Money  not  always  to  be  depended  upon.  Money  not  always  forth- 
coming." 

"  I  reckon,  I  shall  make  an  elegant  'backy^stopper  of  this  piece  of  syca- 
more." 

Silence  for  a  few  moments.     Knives  hard  at  work. 

"  I've  a  notion  this  is  as  pretty  a  hickory  stick  as  ever  came  out  of 
a  wood." 

"  I  shouldn't  mind  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  and  time  given." 

"  It  couldn't  be  more  than  six  months,  then,  if  it  goes  at  that  price." 

(Pause.) 

«•  Well  that  might  suit  me." 

"  What  do  you  say,  thenl" 

"Suppose  it  must  be  so." 

•'  It's  a  bargain  then,  (rising  up,)  come  let's  liquor  on  it."^ 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  farmers  on  the  banks  of  the  Connecticut  river  are  the  richest  in 
the  Eastern  states.  The  majestic  growth  of  the  timber  certified  that 
the  soil  is  generally  good,  although  the  crops  were  off  the  ground.  They 
grow  here  a  large  quantity  of  what  is  called  the  broom  corn  :  the  stalk 
and  leaves  arc  similar  to  the  maize  or  Indian  corn,  but,  instead  of  the 
ear,  it  tluows  out,  at  top  and  on  the  sides,  spiky  plumes  on  which  seed  is 
carried.  These  plumes  are  cut  off,  and  furnish  the  brooms  and  whisks 
of  the  country.    It  is  said  to  be  a  very  profitable  crop.     At  Brattleboro* 


68 


DURT  IN  AMERICA. 


vre  stopped  at  an  inn  kept  by  one  of  the  state  representatives,  and,  atr 
may  be  supposed,  had  very  bad  fare  in  consequence,  the  man  being  above 
his  bosiniess.  We  changed  horses  at  Bloody  Brook,  so  termed  in  con- 
sequence of  a  massacre  of  the  settlers  by  the  Indians.  But  there  are 
twenty  Bloody  Brooks  in  American,  all  records  of  similar  catastrophes. 

Whether  the  blue  laws  of  Connecticut  are  still  in  force,  I  know  not, 
but  I  could  not  discover  that  they  had  ever  been  repealed.  At  present 
there  is  no  theatre  in  Connecticnt,  nor  does  anybody  venture  to  propose 
one.  The  proprietors  of  one  of  the  equestrian  studs  made  their  appear- 
ance at  the  confines  of  the  state,  and  intimated  that  they  wished  to  per- 
form, but  were  given  to  understand  that  their  horses  would  be  confisca- 
ted if  they  entered  the  state.  The  consequence  is,  that  Connecticut  is 
the  dullest,  most  disagreeable  state  in  the  Union  ;  and,  if  I  am  to  be- 
lieve the  Americans  themselves,  so  far  from  the  morals  of  the  community 
being  kept  uncontaminated  by  this  tigour,  the  very  reverse  is  the  case — 
especially  as  respects  the  college  students,  who  are  in  the  secret  practice- 
of  more  vice  than  is  to  be  found  in  any  other  establishment  of  the  kind  in 
the  Union.  But  even  if  I  had  not  been  so  informed  by  creditable  people, 
I  should  have  decided  in  my  own  mind  that  such  was  the  case.  Human 
nature  is  everywhere  the  same. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  make  a  few  extracts  from  a  copy  of  the  re- 
cords and  of  the  blue  laws  which  I  have  in  my  possession,  as  it  will  show 
that  if  these  laws  were  still  in  force,  how  h^.d  .ney  would  now  bear  upon 
the  Ameiican  conr>.munity.  In  the  extracls  from  the  records  which  fol- 
low, I  have  altered  a  word  or  two,  so  as  to  render  them  fitter  for  perusal, 
but  the  sense  is  the  same  : 

*'  (13.)  If  any  childe  <^r  children  above  sizteene  yeares  old,  and  of  suf- 
ficient understanding,  shall  curse  or  smite  their  naturall  father  or  mother, 
hee  or  they  shall  be  p^t  to  death,  unless  it  can  be  sufficiently  testified  that 
the  parents  have  been  very  unchristianly  negligent  in  the  education  of 
such  children,  or  so  provoke  them  by  extreme  and  cruell  correction.,  that 
they  have  been  forced  thereunto  to  preserve  themselves  from  death,  or 
maiming. — Exo.  xxi,  17  ;  Levit.  xx  ;  Ex.  xxi,  15. 

"  (14.)  If  any  man  have  a  stubbome  and  rebellious  sonne  of  sufficient 
yeares  and  understanding,  viz.,  sixteene  yeares  of  age,  which  will  not 
obey  the  voice  of  his  father  or  the  voice  of  his  mother,  and  that  when 
they  have  chastened  him  will  not  hearken  unto  them,  then  may  his 
father  and  mother,  being  his  naturall  parents,  lay  hold  on  him,  and  bring 
him  to  the  magistrates  assembled  in  courte,  and  testifie  unto  them  that 
their  sonne  is  stubbome  and  rebellious,  and  will  not  obey  their  voice  and 
chastisement,  but  lives  in  cjndry  notorious  crimes — such  a  sonne  shall 
bee  put  to  death. — Deut.  xxi,  30,  21. 

^^{Lyinge.)  That  every  person  of  the  age  of  discretion,  which  is  ac- 
counted fourteeue  yeares,  who  shall  wittingly  and  willingly  make,  or  pub- 
lish, any  lye  which  may  be  pernicious  to  the  publique  weal,  or  tending  to 
the  dammage  or  injury  of  any  perticular  person,  to  deceive  and  abuse 
the  people  with  false  news  or  reportes,  and  the  same  duly  prooved  in  any 
courte,  or  before  any  one  magistrate,  who  hath  hereby  power  granted  to 
heare  and  determine  all  offences  against  this  lawe,  such  person  shall  bee 
fyned — for  the  first  offence,  ten. shillings  ;  or  if  the  party  be  unable  to 
pay  the  same,  then  to  be  sett  in  the  stocks  so  long  as  the  said  courte  or 
magistrate  shall  appointe,  in  some  open  place,  not  exceeding  three  houres  ; 
for  the  second  offence  of  that  kinde,  whereof  any  shall  bee  legally  Con- 
victed, the  summe  of  twenty  shillings,  or  be  whipped  uppon  the  naked  body, 


DIAKT  IN  AMERICA. 


69 


:ative8,  and,  as 
an  being  above 
termed  in  con- 
But  there  are 
catastrophes, 
e,  I  know  not, 
i.     At  present 
ture  to  propose 
le  their  appear- 
wished  to  per- 
ild  be  confisca- 
Connecticut  is 
if  I  am  to  be- 
the  community 
e  is  the  case — 
secret  practice- 
tt  of  the  kind  in 
editable  people, 
case.    Human 

copy  of  the  re- 
as  it  will  show 
now  bear  upon 
;ords  which  fol- 
itter  for  perusal, 

old,  and  of  suf- 
.ther  or  mother, 
;ly  testified  that 
he  education  of 
correction,  that 
from  death,  or 

me  of  sufficient 
which  will  not 
and  that  when 
then  may  his 
him,  and  bring 
unto  them  that 
their  voice  and 

1  a  Sonne  shall 

)n,  which  is  ac- 
y  make,  or  pub- 
al,  or  tending  to 
eive  and  abuse 

prooved  in  any 
iwer  granted  to 
lerson  shall  bee 
be  unable  to 
e  said  courte  or 
g  three  houres ; 
tee  legally  (Son- 

the  naked  body, 


not  exceeding  twenty  stripes ;  and  for  the  third  offence  that  way,  forty 
shillings ;  or  if  the  party  be  unable  to  pay,  then  to  be  whipped  with  more 
stripes,  not  exceeding  thirtye  ;  and  yet,  if  any  shall  offend  in  like  kinde, 
and  be  legally  convicted  thereof,  such  person,  male  or  female,  shall  bee 
fyned  ten  shillings  at  a  time  more  than  formerly  ;  or  if  the  party  so  of- 
fending bee  unable  to  pay,  then  to  bee  whipped  with  five  or  six  stripes 
xAore  tnan  formerly,  nut  exceeding  forty  at  any  time. 

"  (Ministers^  Meintenance.) — Whereas  the  most  considerable  persons 
in  the  land  came  into  these  partes  of  America,  that  they  might  enjoy e 
Christe  in  his  ordinances  without  disturbance, — and  whereas,  amongst 
many  other  pretious  meanes,  the  ordinances  have  beene,  and  are,  dispens- 
ed amongst  us,  with  much  purity  and  power,  they  took  it  into  their  serious 
consideration,  that  a  due  meintenance,  according  to  God,  might  bee  pro- 
vided and  settled,  both  for  the  present  and  future,  for  the  encouragement 
of  the  ministers'  work  therein ;  and  doe  order,  that  those  who  are  taught 
in  the  word,  in  the  severall  plantations,  bee  called  together,  that  every 
man  voluntarily  sett  downe  what  he  is  willing  to  allowe  to  that  end  and 
use ;  and  if  any  man  refuse  to  pay  a  meete  proportion,  that  then  hee  be 
rated  by  authority  in  some  just  and  equal  way ;  and  if  after  this,  any  man 
withhold  or  delay  due  payment,  the  civil  power  to  be  exercised  as  in  other 
just  debts. 

"(Profane  ^tearing") — That  if  any  pers'"*!  within  this  jurisdiction 
shall  sweare  rashly  and  vainely,  either  by  the  holy  name  of  God,  or  any 
other  oath,  and  shall  sinfully  and  wickedly  curse  any,  hee  shall  forfeitt  to 
the  common  treasure,  for  every  such  severe  offence,  ten  shillings ;  and  it 
shall  be  in  the  power  of  any  magistrate,  by  warrant  to  the  constable,  to  call 
such  persons  before  him,  and  uppon  just  proofe  to  pass  a  sentence,  and 
levye  the  said  petialty,  according  to  the  usual  order  of  justice ;  and  if 
such  persons. bee  not  able,  or  shall  utterly  refuse  to  pay  the  aforesaid 
fyne,  hee  shall  bee  committed  to  the  stocks,  there  to  continue,  not  ex- 
ceeding three  hours,  and  not  less  than  one  houre. 

"(ToJaico.)— That  no  person  under  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  nor 
any  other  that  hath  not  already  accustomed  himselfe  to  the  use  therof, 
shall  take  any  tobacko,  until  hee  hath  brought  a  certificate  under  the 
hands  of  some  who  are  approved  for  knowledge  and  skill  in  phisick,  that 
it  is  useful  for  him,  and  allso  that  he  hath  received  a  lycense  from  the 
courte,  for  the  same. 

"  It  is  ordered — That  no  man  within  this  colonye,  shall  take  any  to- 
backo publiquely,  in  the  streett,  highwayes,  or  any  barne,  yardes,  or  up- 
pon training  days,  in  any  open  places,  under  the  penalty  of  sixpence  for 
each  offence  against  this  order,"  &c.  &c. 

Among  the  records  we  have  some  curious  specimens  : —        i 

"At  a  court  held  May  1,  1660, 

"Jacob  M.  Marline  and  Sarah  Tuttle  being  called,  appeared,  concern- 
ing whom  the  governor  declared,  that  the  business  for  which  they  were 
warned  to  this  Court,  he  had  heard  in  private  at  his  house,  which  he  re- 
lated thus :— On  the  day  that  John  Potter  was  married,  Sarah  Tuttle  went 
to  Mistress  Murline's  house  for  some  thredd ;  Mistress  Murline  bid  her 
go  to  her  daughters  in  the  other  roome,  where  she  felle  into  speeche  of 
John  Potter  and  his  wife,  that  they  were  both  lame  ;  upon  which  Sarah 
Tuttle  said,  how  very  awkward  it  would  be.  Whereupon  Jacob  came 
in,  and  tooke  up,  or  tooke  away  her  gloves.  Sarah  desired  him  to  give 
her  the  gloves,  to  which  he  answered  he  would  do  so  if  she  would  givo 
him  a  kysse ;  upon  which  they  sat  down  together,  his  arme  being  about 


70 


DIARY  IN   AMERICA. 


her  waiste,  and  her  arme  upon  his  shoulder,  or  about  his  neck,  and  he 
kissed  her,  and  she  kissed  him,  oi  they  kissed  one  another,  continuing  in 
this  posture  about  half  an  hour,  as  Marian  and  Susan  testified,  which 
Marian,  now  in  Court,  afhrmed  to  be  so. 

"  Mistress  Murline,  now  in  court,  said  that  she  heard  Sarah  say,  how 
very  awkward  it  would  be ;  but  it  was  matter  of  sorrow  and  shame 
unto  her. 

"  Jacob  was  asked  what  he  had  to  say  to  these  things  ;  to  which  he 
answeredj  that  ke  vyas  in  the  other  roome,  and  when  he  lieard  Sarah 
speak  those  Words,  he  went  in,  when  shee  having  let  fall  her  gloves, 
he  tOQke  them  up,  and  she  asked  him  for  them ;  he  told  her .  he  would 
if  she  would  kisse  him.  Further  said,  he  took  her  by  the  hand,  and 
they  both  sat  down  upon  a  chest,  but  whether  his  arme  were  about  her 
waiste,  and  her  arme  ujpon  his  shoulder,  or  about  his  neck,  he  knows 
not,  for  he  never  thought  of  it  since,  till  Mr.  Raymond  told  him  of  it  at 
Mannatos,  for  which  ho  was  blamed,  and  told  he  had  not  layde  it  to 
heart  as  he  ought.  But  Sarah  Tuttle  replied,  that  shee  did  not  kysse 
him.  Mr.  Tuttle  replied  that  Marian  had  denied  it,  and  he  doth  not 
looke  upon  her  a.s  a  competent  witness.  Thomas  Tuttle  said,  thai  he 
asked  Marian  if  his  sister  kysscd  Jacob,  and  she  said  not.  Moses 
Mansfield  testified,  that  he  told  Jacob  Murline  that  he  heard  Sarah 
kyssed  him,  but  he  denied  it.  But  Jacob  graunted  not  what  Moses 
testified. 

"  Mr.  Tuttle  pleaded  that  Jacob  had  endeavoured  to  steal  away  his 
daughter's  aflfections.  But  Sarah  being  asked  if  Jacob  had  inveigled 
her,  sh^  said  no.  Thomas  Tuttle  said  that  he  came  to  their  house 
two  or  three  times  before  he  went  to  Holland,  and  they  two  were  to- 
gether, and  to  what  end  he  came  he  knows  not,  unless  it  were  to  in- 
veigle h«r :  and  their  mother  warned  Sarah  not  to  keep  company  with 
him  :  and  to  the  same  purpose  spake  Jonathan  Tuttle.  But  Jacob  de- 
nied that  he  came  to  their  house  with  any  such  intendment,  nor  did  it 
appear  so  to  the  Court. 

*'  The  governor  told  Sarah  that  her  miscarriage  is  the  greatest,  that 
a  virgin  should  be  so  bold  in  the  presence  of  others,  to  carry  it  as  she 
had  done,  and  to  speake  suche  corrupt  words ;  most  of  the  things 
charged  against  her  being  acknowledged  by  herself,  though  that  about 
kyssmg  is  denied,  yet  the  thing  is  proved. 

"  Sarah  professed  that  she  was  sorry  that  she  had  carried  it  so  sinfully 
and  foolishly,  which  she  saw  to  be  hateful:  she  hopc'^  God  would  help 
her  to  carry  it  better  for  time  to  come. 

"  The  governor  also  told  Jacob  that  his  carriage  had  been  very  evil 
and  sinful  as  to  carry  it  towards  her,  and  to  make  such  a  light  matter  of 
it  as  not  to  think  of  it,  (as  he  exprest)  doth  greatly  aggravate  ;  and  for 
Marian,  who  was  a  married  woman,  to  suffer  her  brother  and  a  man's 
daughter  to  sit  almost  half  an  hour  in  such  a  way  as  they  have  related, 
was  a  very  great  evil.  She  was  told  that  she  should  have  showed  her 
indignation  against  it,  and  have  told  her  mother,  that  Sarah  might  have 
been  shut  out  of  doors.  Mrs.  Murline  was  told,  that  she,  hearing  such 
words,  should  not  have  suffered  it.  Mrs.  Tuttle  and  Mrs.  Murline  being 
asked  if  they  had  any  more  to  say,  they  said  no. 

"  Whereupon  the  Court  declared,  that  we  have  heard  in  the  publique 
ministry  that  it  is  a  thing  to  be  lamented,  that  young  people  should  have 
their  meetings  to  the  corrupting  of  themselves  and  one  another.  As 
iox  Sarah  Tuttle  her  miscarriages  are  very  great,  that  she  should  utter 


DURY  m  AMERICA. 


71 


«o  corrupt  a  speeche  as  she  did,  concerning  the  persons  to  be  married  ; 
and  that  she  should  carry  it  in  such  a  wanton,  uncivil,  immodest,  la- 
civious  manner  as  iias  been  proved.  And  for  Jacob,  his  carriage  hath 
been  very  corrupt  and  sini'ul,  such  as  brings  reproach  upon  the  family 
and  place. 

"  The  sentence,  therefore,  concerning  them  is,  that  they  shall  pay 
either  of  them  as  a  fine,  twenty  shillings  to  the  troa«urtir."  . 

"Isaiah,  Captain  Turner's  man,  fined  5l.y  for  being  drunk  on  the 
Lord's  day. 

"  William  Broomfield,  Mr.  Malbon's  man,  was  set  in  the  stocks  for 
profaning  the  Lord's  day,  and  stealing  wine  from  his  master,  which  he 
drunk  and  gave  to  others. 

*'  John  Fenner,  accused  for  being  drunke  with  strong  waters,  was 
acquitted,  it  appearing  to  be  of  infirmity,  and  occasioned  by  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  cold. 

"  Mr.  Moulend,  accused  of  being  drunke,  but  not  clearly  proved, 
was  respited." 

Here  comes  a  very  disorderly  reprobate,  called  Will  Harding. 

Ist  of  1st  Month,  1C43. 

"  John  Lawrence  and  Valentine,  servants  to  Mr.  Malhon,  for  im- 
bezilling  their  master's  goods,  and  keeping  disorderly  night  meetings 
with  Will  Harding,  a  lewd  and  disorderly  person,  plotting  with  him  to 
carry  their  master's  daughters  to  the  farmes  in  the  night,  concealing  di« 
vers  dalliances ;  all  which  they  confessed,  and  were  whipped. 

"  Ruth  Acie,  a  covenant  servant  to  Mr.  Malbon,  for  stubornes,  lyeing, 
stealing  from  her  mistress,  and  yielding  to  dalliance  with  Will  Harding, 
was  whipptd. 

"  Martha  Malbon,  for  consenting  to  goo  in  the  night  to  the  farmes, 
with  Will  Harding,  to  a  venison  feast ;  for  stealing  things  from  her 
parents,  and  dalliance  with  the  sstid  Harding,  was  whipped. 

"  Goodman  Hunt  and  his  wife,  for  keepmg  the  councells  of  the  said 
Will  Harding,  hakeing  him  a  pastry  an^  plum  cakes,  and  keeping  com- 
pany with  him  on  the  Lord's  day ;  and  she  suffering  Harding  to  kisse 
her,  tliey  being  only  admitted  to  sojourn  in  this  plantation  upon  their 
good  behaviour,  was  ordered  to  be  sent  out  of  this  towne  within  one 
month  after  the  date  thereof." 

Will  Harding,  however,  appears  to  have  met  with  his  deserts. 

"  Dec.  3rd,  1651. 

"  Will  Harding,  being  convicted  of  a  great  deal  of  base  carriage  with 
divers  yonge  girls,  together  with  enticing  and  corrupting  divers  men-ser- 
vants in  this  plantation,  haunting  with  them  at  night  meetings  and  jun- 
ketings, &c.,  was  sentenced  to  be  severely  whipped,  and  fined  5/.  to  Mr. 
Malbon,  and  51.  to  Will  Andrews,  whose  faniylyes  and  daughters  he  hath 
so  much  wronged  ;  and  presently  to  depart  the  plantation." 

Thus  winds  up  the  disgraceful  end  of  our  Colonial  Don  Juan  of  1643. 

The  articles  of  the  Blue  Laws,  which  I  have  extracted,  are  from  a  por- 
tion which  appears  to  have  been  drawn  up  more  in  detail ;  but,  generally, 
they  are  much  more  pithy  and  concise,  as  the  following  examples  will 
show  :— 

"  No.  13.  No  food  and  lodgings  shall  be  allowed  a  Quaker,  Adamite, 
or  other  heretic . 

"  Nc.  14.  If  any  person  turns  Quaker,  he  shall  be  banished,  and  not 
suffered  to  return,  on  pain  of  death." 


78 


fiUKY  IN  AMERICA. 


^i 


I  wu  walking  m- Philadelphia,  wheh  I  perceived  the  name  of  Bufium, 
hatter.  Wishing  to  ascertain  whether  it  was  an  English  name  or  not,  I 
went  in,  and  entered  into  conversation  with  Mr.  Buiium,  who  was  dress- 
ed as  what  is  termed  a  wet  Quaker.  He  told  me  that  his  was  an  Eng- 
lish name,  and  that  his  ancestor  had  been  banished  from  Salem  for  a 
heinous  crime — which  was,  as  the  sentence  worded  it,  for  being  a  dam-ned 
Quaker.  The  reason  why  Quakers  were  banished  by  the  Puritans,  was 
because  they  would  not  go  out  to  thoot  the  Indians  !    To  continue  : — 

'*  No.  17.  No  one  shaU  run  of  a  Sabbath-day,  or  walk  in  his  garden  or 
elsewhere,  except  reverently  to  and  from  church. ' 

"  No.  18.  No  one  shall  travel,  cook  victuals,  make  beds,  sweep  houses, 
cut  hair  or  shave  on  Sabbath-day. 

"  No.  19.  No  husband  shall  kiss  his  wife,  and  no  mother  shall  kiss  her 
child  upon  the  Sabbath-day. 

"  No.  31.  No  one  shall  read  Common  Prayer,  keep  Christmas  or  saints' 
day,  make  mincc-pies,  dance,  or  play  on  any  instrument  of  music,  except 
the  drum,  ^he  (^^rumpet,  and  the  jews-harp." 

I  do  not  know  anything  that  disgusts  me  so  much  as  cant.  Even  now 
we  continually  hear,  in  the  American  public  orations,  about  the  stem 
virtues  of  the  pilgrim  father.  Stern,  indeed  !  The  fact  is,  that  these 
pilgrim  fathers  were  fanatics  and  bigots,  without  charity  or  mercy,  want- 
ing in  the  very  etaence  of  Christianity.  Witness  their  conduct  to  the 
Indians  when  they  thirsted  for  their  territory.  After  the  death  (murder, 
we  may  call  it)  of  Alexander,  the  brother  of  the  celebrated  Philip,  the 
latter  prepared  for  war.  "  And  now,"  says  a  reverend  historian  of  the 
times,  "  war  was  begun  by  a  fierce  nation  of  Indians  upon  an  honest, 
harmless  Christian  generation  of  English,  who  ihigbt  very  truly  have  said 
to  the  aggressors,  as  it  was  said  of  old  unto  the  Ammonites,  '  I  have 
not  sinned  against  thee ;  but  thou  doest  me  wrong  to  war  against  me.' " 
Fanaticism  alone — deep,  incurable  fanaticism — could  have  induced  such 
a  remark.  Well  may  it  be  said,  "  We  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth 
is  not  in  us." 

And  when  the  war  was  brought  to  a  close  by  the  death  of  the  noble- 
minded,  high-spirited  Philip  \  when  the  Christians  had  slaked  their  re- 
venge in  his  blood,  exposed  his  head  in  triumph  on  a  pike,  and  captured 
his  helpless  innocent  child  of  nine  years  old,  would  it  be  credited,  that 
there  was  council  held  to  put  this  child  to  death,  and  that  the  clergy  were 
summoned  to  give  their  opinion  1  And  the  clergy  quoted  Scripture,  that 
the  child  must  die  !  Dr.  Increase  Mather  compared  it  with  the  child  of 
Hadid,  and  recommended,  with  his  brother  apostles,  that  it  be  murdered. 
But  these  pious  men  were  overruled ;  and,  with  many  others,  it  was  sent 
to  the  Bermudas,  and  sold  as  a  slave.  Stern  virtues  !  !  Call  them  rather 
diabolical  vices.  God  of  Heaven  !  when  shall  we  learn  to  call  things  by 
their  right  names  1  The  next  time  Governor  Everett  is  called  up  (for  an 
oration  at  Bloody  Brook,  let  him  not  talk  quite  so  much  of  the  virtues  of 
the  pilgrim  fathers. 

This  reminds  me  of  a  duty  towards  this  gentleman,  which  I  have  great 
pleasure  in  performing.  Every  one  who  is  acquainted  with  him  must 
acknowledge  his  amiable  manners,  and  his  high  classical  attainment;^  and 
power  of  eloquence.  His  orations  and  speeches  are  printed,  and  are 
among  the  best  specimens  of  American  talent.  Miss  Martineau,  in  her 
work  upon  America,  states  that  she  went  up  to  hear  the  orator  at  Bloody 
Brook ;  and,  in  two  pages  of  very  coarse,  unmeasured'  language,  states 


DURT  IN  AMZSICA. 


73 


**  that  all  her  sympathies  were  baffljd,  and  that  she  w«8  deeply  ditgust- 
ed  ;"  that  the  orator  "  offered  them  shreds  of  tawdry  sentiment,  wiUiout 
the  intermixture  of  one  sound  thought  of  simple  and  natural  feeling,  sim- 
ply and  naturally  expressed."  I  have  the  Address  of  Governor  Everett 
before  tne.  To  insert  the  whole  of  it  would  be  inconvenient ;  but  I  do 
most  unequivocally  deny  this,  as  I  must,  I  am  afraid,  too  many  of  Miss 
Martineau's  assertions.  To  prove,  in  thii  one  instance  alone,  the  very 
contrary  to  what  she  states,  I  will  merely  quote  the  conclusion  of  Go- 
vernor Everett's  Address  : — 

"  Yon  simple  monument  shall  rise  a  renewed  memorial  of  their  names 
on  this  sacred  spot,  where  the  young,  the  brave,  the  patriotic,  poured  out 
their  life-blood  in  defence  of  that  Heritage  which  has  descended  to  us. 
We  this  day  solemnly  bri^g  our  tribute  of  gratitude.  Ages  shall  pass 
away;  the  majestic  tree  which  overshadows  us  dhall  wither  and  sink 
before  the  blast,  and  we  who  are  now  gathered  beneath  it  shall  mingle 
with  the  honoured  dust  we  eulogize  ;  but  the  'Flowers  of  Essex'  shall 
bloom  in  undying  remembrance  ;  and,  with  every  century,  these  rights  of 
commemoration  shall  be  repeated,  as  the  lapse  of  time  shall  cdntmually 
develope,  in  rich  abundance,  the  fruits  of  what  was  done  and  suffered 
by  our  forefathers !" 

I  can,  however,  give  the  reader  a  key  to  Miss  Martineau's  praise  or 
condemnation  of  every  person  mentioned  in  her  two  works  :fyou  have 
but  to  ask  the  question,  "  Is  he,  or  is  he  not,  an  abolitionist  ?" 

Governor  Everett  is  not.  * 


CHAPTER  XX. 

MoNTRKAL,  next  to  Quebec,  is  the  oldest  looking  and  most  aristo- 
cratic city  in  all  North  America.  Lofty  houses,  with  narrow  streets, 
prove  antiquity.  After  Quebec  and  Montreal,  New  Orleans  is  said  to 
take  the  next  rank,  all  three  of  them  having  been  built  by  the  French. — 
It  is  pleasant  to  look  upon  any  structure  in  this  new  hemisphere  which 
bears  the  mark  of  time  upon  it.  The  ruins  of  Fort  Putnam  are  one  of 
the  curiosities  of  America.  ' 

Montreal  is  all  alive — mustering  hate,  drilling  there,  galloping  every- 
where; and  moreover,  Montreal  is  knee-deep  in  snow,  and  the  ther- 
mometer below  zero.  Every  hour  brings  fresh  intelligence  of  the  move- 
ments of  the  rebels)  or  patriots — the  last  term  is  douotful,  yet  it  may  be 
correct.  When  they  first  opened  the  theatre  at  Botany  Bay,  Harrington 
spoke  the  prologue,  which  ended  with  these  two  lines : — 
"  True  patriots  we,  for  be  it  understood. 
We  left  our  country  for  our  country's  good." 

In  this  view  of  the  case,  some  of  them,  it  is  hoped,  will  turn  Out 
patriots  before  they  die,  if  they  have  not  been  made  so  already. 

Every  hour  comes  in  some  poor  vtrretch,  who,  for  refusing  to  join  the 
insurgents,  has  been  made  a  beggar ;  his  cattle,  sheep,  and  pigs  driven 
away  ;  his  fodder,  his  barns,  his  house,  all  that  he  possessed,  now  re- 
duced to  ashes.  The  cold-blooded,  heartless  murder  of  Lieutenant 
Weir  has,  however,  sufficiently  raised  he  choler  of  the  troops,  without 
any  farther  enormities  on  the  part  of  the  insurgents  being  requisite  to 
that  end :  When  an  English  soldier  swears  to  snow  no  mercy,  he  gene- 
rally keeps  his  word.  Of  all  wars,  a  civil  war  is  the  most  cruel,  the 
most  unrelenting,  and  the  most  exterminating ;  and  deep  indeed  must  be 

T 


i 


I  I 


w 


bURT  IN  AMERICA. 


the  responsibility  of  those,  who,  by  their  words  or  their  actions,  haVo 
cdntrived  to  set  countryman  against  countryman,  neighbour  against 
neighbour,  and  very  often  brother  against  brother,  and  father  agair.st 
child. 

On  the  morning  of  the the  ice  on  the  branch  of  the  Ottawa  river, 

which  wo  had  to  cross,  being  considered  sufficiently  strong  to  bear  the 
weight  of  the  artillery,  the  whdfl  force  marched  out,  under  the  command 
of  Sir  John  Colborne  in  person,  to  reduce  the  insurgents,  who  had  for- 
tified themselves  at  St.  Eustache  and  St.  fienoit,  two  towns  of  some 
magnitude  in  the  district  of  Bois  Brul6.  The  snow,  as  I  before  observed, 
lay  very  deep  ;  but  bv  the  time  we  started,  the  road  had  been  well  beaten 
down  by  the  multituaes  which  had  preceded  us. 

The  effect  of  the  whole  line  of  troops,  in  their  fur  caps  and  great 
coats,  with  the  trains  o('  artillery,  ammunition,  and  baggage-wagons,  as 
they  wound  along  the  snow-white  road,  was  very  beautiful.  It  is  aston- 
ishuig  how  much  more  numerous  the  force,  and  how  much  larger  the 
taen  and  horses  appeared  to  be,  from  the  strong  contrast  of  their  colours 
with  the  wide  expanse  of  snow. 

As  we  passed  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Ottawa,  one  of  the  ammuni- 
tion-wagons falling  through  the  ice,  the  horses,  were  immediately  all  but 
choked  by  the  drivers — a  precaution  which  was  novel  to  me,  and  a 
singular  method  of  saving  their  lives  ;  but  such  was  the  case  :  the  air 
witnin  them,  rarified  bv  heat,  inflated  their  bodies  like  balloons,  and  they 
floated  high  on  the  water.  In  this  state  they  were  easily  disengaged  from 
their  traces,  and  hauled  out  upon  the  ice  ;  the  cords  which  had  nearly 
strangled  them  were  then  removed,  and,  in  a  few  minutes,  they  ro« 
covered  sufficiently  to  be  led  to  the  shore. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  I  am  about  to  write  a  regular  despatch.  I 
went  out  with  the  troops,  but  was  of  about  ia  much  use  as  the  fifth 
wheel  of  a  coach  -,  with  the  exception,  that  as  I  rode  one  of  Sir  John 
Colborne's  horses,  I  was,  perhaps,  so  far  supplying  the  place  of  a  groom 
who  was  better  employed. 

The  town  of  St.  Eustache  is  very  prettily  situated  on  the  high  hanks 
of  the  river,  the  most  remarkable  object  being  the  Catholic  church,  a 
very  massive  building,  raised  about  two  hundred  yards  from  the  river 
side,  upon  a  commanding  situation.  This  church  the  insurgents  had  turned 
into  a  fortress,  and  perhaps,  for  a  fortress  *'  d'occaaion,"  there  never  was 
'one  60  well  calculated  for  a  vig<^rou8  defence,  it  being  flanked  by  two 
long  stone-built  houses,  and  protected  in  the  rear  by  several  lines  of 
high  and  strong  palisades,  running  down  into  the  river.  The  troops  halt- 
ed about  thii3G  hundred  yards  from  the  town,  to  reconnoitre :  the  ar- 
tillery were  drawn  up  and  opened  their  Are,  but  chiefly  with  a  view  that 
the  enemy,  by  returning  the  fire,  might  demonstrate  their  force  and  posi- 
tion. These  being  ascertained,  orders  were  given  by  Sir  John  Colborne, 
so  that  in  a  short  time  the  whole  town  would  be  invested  by  the  troops. 
The  insurgents  perceiving  'lis,  many  of  them  escaped,  some  through  the 
town,  others  by  the  frozfii  river.  Those  who  crossed  on  the  ice  were 
chased  by  the  voluntee.  dragoons,  and  the  slipping  and  tumbling  of  the 
pursued  and  the  pursuers,  afforded  as  much  merriment  as  interest ;  so 
true  it  is,  that  anything  ludicrous  will  make  one  laugh,  in  opposition  to 
the  feelings  of  sympathy,  anxiety,  and  fear.  Some  of  the  runaways  were 
cut  down,  and  many  more  taken  prisoners. 

As  soon  as  ihat  portion  of  the  troops  which  had  entered  the  town, 
and  marched  up  the  main  street  toward  the  church,  arrived  within  half- 


DURY  IN  AHMIOA. 


75 


musket-shot,  -tho^  were  received  with  a  smiirt  Tolley,  which  was  fired 
flrom  the  large  windows  of  the  church,  and  which  wounded  a  few  of  the 
men.  The  soldiers  were  then  ordered  to  make  their  approaches  under 
cover  of  the  houses;  and  the  artillery  being  brought  vp,  commenced 
firina;  upon  the  church :  but  the  walls  of  tha  building  were  much  too 
soliu  for  the  shot  to  make  any  impression,  and  had  the  insurgents  stood 
firm  they  certainly  might  have  given  a  great  deal  of  troubia,  and  probably 
have  occasioned  a  large  loss  of  men ;  but  they  became  alarmed,  and  fired 
one  of  the  houses  which  abutted  upon  and  flanked  the  church, — this  they 
did  with  the  view  of  escaping  under  cover  of  the  smoke.  In  a  few 
minutes  the  church  itself  was  obscured  by  the  volumes  of  smoke  thrown 
out ;  and  at  the  same  time  that  the  insurgents  were  escaping,  the  troops^ 
marched  up  and  surrounded  the  church.  The  poor  wretches  attempted 
to  get  away  either  single,  or  by  twos  ai^d  tlirees ;  but  the  moment  they 
appeared  a  volley  was  discharged,  and  they  fell.  Every  attempt  was 
made  by  the  officers  to  make  prisoners,  but  vvith  indifferent  success  ;  in- 
deed, such  was  the  exasperation  of  the  troops'  at  the  murder  of  Lieut. 
Wier»  that  it  was  a  service  of  danger  to  attempt  to  save  the  life  of  one 
of  those  poor  deluded  creatures.  The  fire  from  the  house  soon  com- 
municated to  the  church.  Ghenier,  the  leo-ler,  with  ten  others,,  the  rem- 
iiant  of  the  insurgents  who  were  in  the  church,  rushed  out ;  there  was 
one  tremendous  volley,  and  all  was  over. 

By  this  time  many  other  parts  of  the  town  were  on  fire,  and  thenre  was 
every  prospect  of  the  whole  of  it  being  burnt  down,  leaving  no  quaiftert 
for  the  soldiers  to  protect  them  during  tlie  night.  The  attention  of  every 
body  was  therefore  turned  to  prevent  the  progress  of  the  flames.  Some 
houses  were  pulled  down,  90  as  to.  cut  off  the  communication  with  the 
houses  in  the  centre  of  the  town,  and  in  these  houses  the  troops  were 
billeltod  off.  The  insurgents  had  removed  their  families,  and  most  o! 
their  valuables  and  furniture,  before  our  arrival ;  but  in  one  house  wer6 
the  commissariat  stores,  consisting  of  the  carcasses  of  all  the  cattle, 
sheep,  pigs,  &c.,  which  they  had  takei>  from  the  loyal  farmers ;  there  was 
a  large  supply,  and  the  soldiers  were  soon  cooking  in  all  directions.  The 
roll  was  sailed,  men  mustered,  and  order  established. 

Ths  night  was  bitterly  cold  :  the  sky  was  clear,  and  the  moon  near  to 
her  full :  nouses  were  still  burning  in  every  direction,  but  they  were  as 
mere  satellites  to  the  lofty  church,  which  was  now  one  blaze  of  fire,  and 
thrftwing  out  volr.mes  of  smoke,  which  passed  over  the  face  of  the  bright 
iroon,  and  gave  iO:  her  a  lurid  reddish  tinge,  as  if  she  too  had  assisted  in 
theso  deeds  of  blood.  The  distant  fires  scattered  over  the  whole  land- 
scape, which  wna  one  snow-wreath ;  the  whirling  of  tho  smoke  from  the 
houses  whic^  were  burning  close  to  us,  and  which,  from  the  melting  of 
the  snow,  were  surrounded  by  pools  of  water,  reflecting  the  fierce  yel- 
low flames,  mingled  with  the  palo  beams  of  the  bright  moon — this,  suto- 
gether,  presented  a  beautiful,  novel,  yei  melancholy  panorama.  I  thought 
It  might  represent,  in  miniature,  the  burning  of  Moscow. 

About  midnight,  when  all  was  quiet,  I  walked  up  to  the  church,  in 
company  with  one  of  Sir  John  Colborne's  aide-de-camps :  the  roof  had 
fallen  and  the  flames  had  subsided  for  want  of  farther  aliment.  As  we 
passed  by  a  house  which  had  just  taken  fire  we  heard  a  cry,  and  on  go- 
ing up,  found  a*poor  wounded  Canadian,  utterly  incapable  of  moving, 
whom  the  flames  had  just  reached  ;  in  a  few  minutes  he  would  have  been 
burned  alive :  we  dragged  him  out,  and  gave  him  in  charge  of  the  sol- 
diers, wha  carried  him  to,  the  hospital. 


76 


DliRY  IN   AMERICA. 


But  what  was  this  compared  to  the  scene  which  presented  itself  in  th« 
church.  But  a  few  weeks  back  crowds  were  there,  kneeling  in  adora- 
tion and  prayer ;  I  could  fancy  the  Catholic  priests  in  their  splendid 
atoles,  the  altar,  its  candlesticks  and  ornaments,  the  solemn  music,  tho 
incense,  and  all  that,  by  appealing  to  the  senses,  is  so  favourable  to  the 
cause  of  religion  with  the  ignorant  and  uneducated  ;  and  what  did  I  now 
behold? — ^nothing  but  the  bare  and  blackened  walls,  the  glowine  beams 
and  rafters,  and  the  window  frames  which  the  flames  still  licked  and 
flickered  through.  The  floor  had  been  burnt  to  cinders,  and  upon  and 
between  the  sleepers  on  which  the  floor  had  been  laid,  were  scattered  the 
remains  of  human  creature's,  injured  in  various  degrees,  or  destroyed  by 
the  fire ;  some  with  merely  the  clothes  burnt  off,  leaving  tho  naked 
body  ;  some  burnt  to  a  deep  brown  tinge  ;  others  so  far  consumed  that  tho 
viscera  were  exposed ;  while  here  and  there  the  blackened  ribs  and  ver- 
tebra were  all  that  the  fierce  flames  had  spared. 

Not  only  inside  of  the  church,  but  without  its  walls,  was  tho  same  re- 
volting spectacle.  In  the  remains  of  the  small  building  used  as  a  recep- 
tacle for  the  coffins  previous  to  interment,  were  several  bodies,  heaped 
one  upon  another,  and  still  burning,  the  tressels  which  had  once  supported 
the  coffins  serving  as  fuel ;  and  farther  off  were  bodies  still  unscathed 
by  fire,  but  frozen  hard  by  the  severity  of  the  weather. 

I  could  not  help  thinking,  as  I  stood  contemplating  this  melancholy 
scene  of  destruction,  bloodshed,  and  sacrilege,  that  if  Mr.  Hume  or  Mr. 
Roebuck  had  been  by  my  side,  they  might  have  repented  their  inflamma- 
tory and  liberal  opinions,  as  here  they  beheld  the  frightful  effects  of 
them. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Crossing  the  river  St.  Lawrence  at  this  season  of  the  year  is  not  very 
pleasant,  as  you  must  force  your  passage  through  the  large  masses  of  ice, 
and  are  occasionally  fixed  among  thetfi ;  so  that  you  are  swept  down  the 
current  along  with  them.  Such  was  our  case  for  about  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  and,  in  consequence,  we  landed  aboiit  throe  miles  lower  down  than 
we  had  intended.  The  next  day  the  navigation  of  the  river,  such  as  it 
was,  was  stopped,  and  in  eight  and  forty  hours  heavy  wagons  and  cart^ 
were  passing  over  where  we  had  floated  across. 

My  course  lay  through  what  were  termed  the  excited  districts  ;  I  had 
promised  to  pass  through  them,  and  supply  the  folks  at  Montreal  with  any 
inform  t!on  1  could  collect.  The  weather  was  bitterly  cold,  and  all  com- 
munication was  carried  on  by  sleighs,  a  very  pleasant  mode  of  travelling 
when  the  roads  are  smooth,  but  rather  fatiguing  when  they  are  uneven, 
as  the  sleigh  then  jumps  from  hill  to  hill,  l^e  an  oyster-shell  thrown  by 
a  boy  to  skim  the  surface  of  the  water.  To  defend  myself  from  the  cold, 
I  had  piit  on,  over  my  coat,  and  under  my  cloak,  a  wadded  black  silk 
dressing-gown  ;  I  thought  nothing  of  it  at  the  time,  but  I  afterward  dis- 
covered that  I  was  supposed  to  be  one  of  the  rebel  priests  escaping  from 
justice. 

Although  still  in  the  English  dominions,  I  had  not  been  over  on  the 
opposite  side  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  before  I  perceived  that  it 
would  be  just  as  well  to  hold  my  tongue  ;  and  my  adherence  to  this  reso- 
lution, together  with  my  supposed  canonicals,  were  the  cause  of  not  a 
word  being  addressed  to  mo  by  my  fellow-travellers.  They  presumed 
that  I  spoke  French  only,  which  they  did  not,  and  I  listened  in  silence  to 
all  that  passed. 


SUftV  IN  JiMBItei.  ff 

It  is  strange  how  ouily  tlio  American  peopU  are  excited,  and 'when 
excited,  they  will  hesitate  at  nothing.  The  coach  (for  it  was  the  stage* 
coach,  altjiough  represented  by  an  open  sleigh)  stopued  at  every  town, 
large  or  small,  every  body  eager  to  tell  and  receive  the  news,  jf  always 
got  out  to  warm  myself  at  the  stoves  in  the  bar,  and  heard  all  the  re« 
marks  made  upon  what  I  do  really  believe  were  the  most  absurd  and  ex- 
travagant lies  evor  circulated — lies  which  the  very  people  \vho  uttered 
them  knew  to  be  such,  but  which  produced  tho  momentary  effect  in* 
tended.  They  were  even  put  into  the  newspapers  and  circulated  every* 
where ;  and  when  the  trutn  was  discovered,  they  still  remained  ancon* 
tradicted,  except  by  the  general  remark  that  such  was  the  tory  version  of 
the  matter,  and  of  course  was  false.  The  majority  of  those  who  tra* 
ve.'led  with  me  were  Americans  who  had  crossed  the  St.  Lawrence  in  the 
same  boat,  and  who  must,  therefore,  have  known  well  tho  whole  circum* 
stances  attending  the  expedition  against  St.  Eustache  ;  but,  to  my  sur* 
prise,  at  every  place  where  thoy  stopped  thoy  declared  that  there  had  been 
a  battle  between  the  insurgents  and  the  king's  troops,  in  which  the  insur- 
gents had  been  victorious  ;  that  Sir  John  Colborne  had  been  compelled 
to  retreat  to  Montreal ;  that  they  had  themselves  seen  the  troops  come 
back,  (which  was  true,)  and  that  Montreal  was  barricaded  (which  was 
also  true)  to  prevent  the  insurgents  from  marching  in.  I  never  said  ono 
word  ;  I  listened  to  the  exultations— to  the  declarations  of  some  that  they 
should  go  and  join  tho  patriots,  &c.  One  man  amused  me  by  saying— 
"  I've  a  great  mind  to  go,  but  what  I  want  is  a  good  general  to  take  the 
command;  I  want  a  Julius  Cssar,  or  a  Bonaparte,  or  a  Washington.—* 
then  I'll  go." 

I  stopped  for  some  hours  at  St.  Albans.  I  was  recommended  to  go  te 
an  inn,  the  landlord  of  which  was  said  not  to  be  of  the  democratic  party, 
for  the  other  two  inns  were  the  resort  of  the  Sympathizers,  and  in  these, 
consequently,  scenes  of  great  excitement  took  place.  The  landlord  pui 
into  my  hands  a  newspaper  published  that  day,  containing  a  series  of  reso* 
lutions,  founded  upon  such  falsehoods  that  I  thousht  it  might  be  advanta- 
geous to  refute  them.  I  asked  the  landlord  wnether  I  could  see  the 
editor  of  the  paper  ;  he  replied  that  the  party  lived  next  door ;  and  I  ro" 
<]uested  that  he  wuuld  send  for  him,  telling  him  that  I  could  give  him 
information  relative  to  tho  aflair  of  St.  Eustache. 

I  had  been  shown  into  a  large  sitting-room  on  the  ground  floor,  which 
I  presumed  was  a  privat?  room,  when  the  editor  of  the  newspaper,  at- 
tracted by  the  message  I  had  sent  him,  came  in.  I  then  pointed  to  the 
resolutions  passed  at  the  meeting,  and  asked  him  whether  he  would  allow 
me  to  answer  them  in  tiis  paper.  His  reply  was,  "  Certainly :  that  his 
paper  was  open  to  all." 

"  Well,  then,  call  in  an  hour,  and  I  will  by  that  time  prove  to  you  that 
they  can  only  be  excused  or  accounted  for  by  the  parties  who  framed  them, 
being  totally  ignorant  of  the  whole  affair." 

He  went  away,  but  did  not  return  at  the  time  requested.  It  was  not 
until  late  in  the  evening  that  ho  came  ;  and,  avoiding  the  question  of  the 
resolutions,  begged  that  I  would  give  him  the  information  relative  to  St. 
Eustache.  As  1  presumed  that,  like  most  other  editors  in  the  United 
States,  he  dared  not  put  in  anything  which  would  displease  his  subscri- 
bers, I  said  no  more  on  that  subject,  but  commenced  dictating  to  him, 
whi}e  he  wrote  tho  particulars  attending  the  St.  Eustache  affair.  I  wa». 
standing  by  the  stove,  giving  the  editor  this  information,  when  the  door 
of  the  room  opened,  a»2  in  walked  seven  or  eight  people,  who,  withoul. 

1* 


w 


OAIIY  IN  AMtRICA. 


•p««king,'took  chairs ;  in  t  minute,  another  party  of  about  the  aame  num* 
bei  wat  ushered  into  the  room  b^  the  landlord,  who,  I  thought,  gave  me 
a  significant  look.  I  felt  surprised  at  what  I  thought  an  intrusion,  as  I 
had  considered  my  room  to  be  private  ;  however  f  appeared  to  take  no 
notice  of  it,  and  continued  dictating  to  the  editor.  The  door  opened 
again  and  again,  and  more  chairs  were  brought  in  for  the  accommodation 
of  the  parties  who  entered,  until  at  last  the  room  was  so  full  that  I  had  but 
just  room  to  walk  round  the  stove.  Not  a  person  said  a  word  ;  they  lis- 
tened to  what  I  was  dictating  to  the  editor,  and  I  observed  that  they  all 
looked  rather  fierce  ;  but  whether  this  was  a  public  meeting,  or  what  was 
to  be  the  end  of  it  I  had  no  idea.  At  last,  when  I  had  finished,  the  edi- 
tor took  up  his  papers  and  left  tho  room,  in  which  I  suppose  there  might 
have  been  from  one  hundred  to  a  hundred  and  fifty  persons  assembled. 
As  soon  as  the  door  closed,  one  of  them  struck  his  thick  stick  on  the 
floor  (they  most  of  them  had  sticks),  and  gavo  a  loud  "  Hem  !" 

"  I  beheve,  sir,  that  you  are  Captain  M ." 

••  Yes,"  replied  I,  "  that  is  my  name." 

*'  We  are  informed,  sir,  by  the  gentleman  who  has  just  cone  out,  that 
you  have  asserted  that  our  resolutions  of  yesterday  could  only  be  excused 
or  accounted  for  from  our  total  ignorance."  Here  he  struck  his  stick 
again  upon  the  floor,  and  paused. 

"  Oh  !"  thinks  I  to  myself,  "  the  editor  has  informed  against  me  !" 

"  Now,  sir,  continued  the  spokesman,  "  we  are  como  to  be  enlight- 
ened ;  we  wish  you  to  prove  to  us  that  we  are  totally  ignorant ;  you  will 
oblise  us  by  an  explanation  of  your  assertion." 

He  was  again  silent.  (Thinks  I  to  myself,  I'm  in  for  it  now,  and  if  1 
•  get  away  without  a  broken  head,  or  something  else,  I  am  fortunate ;  how- 
ever, here  goes.)  Whereupon,  without  troubling  tho  reader  with  what 
I  did  say,  I  will  only  observe  that  I  thought  the  best  plan  was  to  gain 
time  by  going  back  as  far  as  I  could.  I  therefore  commenced  my  oration 
at  the  period  when  the  Canadas  were  surrendered  to  the  English ;  re- 
marking upon  the  system  which  had  been  acted  upon  by  our  government 
from  that  tmie  up  to  the  present ;  proving  as  well  as  I  could,  that  the  Cann> 
dians  had  nothing  to  complain  of,  and  that  if  England  had  treated  her 
other  American  colonies  as  well,  there  never  wouin  have  been  a  declara- 
tion of  independence,  &c.  Having  spoken  for  about  an  hour,  and  observ- 
ing a  little  impatience  on  the  part  of  some  of  the  company,  I  stopped. 
Upon  which  one  rose  and  said  that  there  were  several  points  not  fully- 
explained,  referring  to  them  one  after  another,  whereupon  the  "  honoura- 
ble member  rose  to  explain," — and  was  again  silent.  Another  then 
spoke,  requesting  information  as  to  points  not  referred  to  by  me.  I  re- 
plied, and  fortunately  had  an  opportunity  of  paying  the  Americans  a  just 
compliment ;  in  gratitude  for  which  their  features  relaxed  considerably. 
Perceiving  this,  I  ventured  to  introduce  a  story  or  two  which  made  them 
laugh.  After  this,  the  day  was  my  own ;  for  I  consider  the  Americans, 
when  not  excited  (which  they  too  often  are),  as  a  very  good  tempered 
people ;  at  all  events,  they  won't  break  your  head  for  making  them  laugh ; 
at  least,  such  I  found  was  the  case.  WIb  now  entered  freely  into  conver- 
sation ;  some  went  away,  others  remained,  and  the  affair  end^d  by  many 
of  them  shaking  hands  with  me,  and  onr  taking  a  drink  at  the  bar. 

I  must  say,  that  the  first  appearances  of  this  meeting  were  not  at  alt 
pleasant ;.  but  I  was  rightly  served  for  my  want  of  caution  in  so  publicly 
stating,  that  the  free  and  enlightened  citizens  of  St.  Albans  were  very 
ignorant,  and  for  opposing  public  opinion  at  a  time  when  the  greatest  ex.*- 


DIARY  IN  AMIRIOA. 


Vf 


citARient  prevailffd.    I  have  mentioned  this  circumetance,  aa  it  throwa  a 

great  deal  of  light  upon  the  character  of  the  Yankee  or  American  of  the 
iaitern  atatea.  They  would  not  aulTer  opposition  to  the  majority  to  paaa 
utmoticed  (who  in  England  would  have  cared  what  a  atraiiger  may  have 
expreBsed  aa  hia  opinion) ;  but,  at  the  aame  time,  they  gave  me  a  patient 
ht-aring,  to  know  whether  I  could  ahow  cauae  for  what  I  said.  Had  I 
refuaeu  this,  I  might  have  been  very  roughly  handled ;  but  aa  I  defended 
my  obaervationa,  although  they  were  not  complimentary  to  them,  they 
gave  me  fair  play.  They  were  evidently  much  excited  when  they  came 
mto  the  room,  but  they  gradually  cooled  down  until  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  my  assertions ;  and  then  all  animoaity  waa  over.  The  landlord 
said  to  me  afterward,  "  I  reckon  you  got  out  of  that  uncommon  well, 
captain."  I  peifectly  agreed  with  him,  and  made  a  resolution  to  hold  my 
tongue  until  I  arrived  at  New  York. 

The  next  day,  as  I  was  proceeding  on  my  journey,  I  fell  in%ith  Gene* 
ral  Brown,  celebrated  for  running  away  so  fast  at  the  commencement  of 
the  fight  at  St.  Charles.  He  had  a  very  fine  pair  of  mustachios.  We 
both  warmed  our  toes  at  the  aame  stove  in  solemn  silence. 

Sunday,  at  Burlington.— The  young  ladies  are  dressing  up  the  church 
with  festoons  and  garlands  of  evergreena  for  the  celebration  of  Chriat-> 
mas,  and  have  pressed  me  into  the  service.  Last  Sunday  I  was  medi« 
tating  over  the  blackened  walls  of  the  church  of  St.  Bustache,  and  the 
roasted  corses  lying  within  its  precincts ;  now  I  am  in  another  church, 
weaving  laurel  and  cypress,  in  company  with  some  of  the  prettiest  crea- 
tures in  cre&tion.     As  the  copy-book  says,  variety  is  charming  ! 


CHAPTER  XXH. 

Philadelphia  is  certainly  in  appearance  the  most  wealthy  and  impa* 
sing  city  in  the  Union.  It  is  well  built,  and  ornamented  with  magnificent 
public  edifices  of  white  marble  ;  indeed  there  is  a  great  show  of  this  ma- 
terial throughout  the  whole  of  the  town,  all  the  flights  of  steps  to  Mie 
doors,  door-lintels,  and  window-sills,  being  very  generally  composed'  of 
this  material.  The  exterior  of  the  houses,  as  well  as  the  side  pavement, 
are  kept  remarkably  clean ;  and  there  is  no  intermixture  of  commerce,  as 
there  is  at  New  York,  the  bustle  of  business  being  confined  to  the  Quays, 
and  one  or  two  streets  adjoining  the  river  side. 

The  first  idea  which  strikes  you  when  you  arrive  at  Philadelphia,  ia 
that  it  is  Sundav:  everything  is  so  quiet,  and  there  are  so  few  people 
stirring ;  but  by  the  time  that  you  have  paraded  half  a  dozen  streets,  you 
come  to  a  conclusion  that  it  must  be  Saturday,  as  that  day  is,  generally 
speaking,  a  washing-day.  Philadelphia  is  so  admirably  supplied  with 
water  from  the  Schuylkill  water-works,  that  every  house  has  it  laid  on 
from  the  attic  to  the  basement ;  and  all  day  long  they  wash  windows, 
door,. marble  step,  and  pavements  in  front  of  the  houses.  Indeed,  they 
have  so  much  water,  that  they  can  afford  to  be  very  liberal  to  passers-by. 
One  minute  you  have  a  shower-bath  from  a  negress,  who  is  throwing 
water  at  the  windows  on  the  first  floor ;  and  the  next  you  have  to  hop 
over  a  stream  across  the  pavement,  occasioned  by  some  black  frilow, 
who,  rather  than  go  for  a  broom  to  sweep  away  any  small  portion  of  dust 
collected  before  his  master's  door,  brings  out  the  leather  hose,  attached 
to  the  hydrants,  as  they  term,  them  here,  and  fizzes  away  with-  it  till  the 
stream  has  forced  the  dust  into  the  gutter. 

Of  course,  fire  has  no  chance  in  this  city.    Indeed,  th&two  elements 


80 


l^UBT  IN  AMEKfCX. 


appear  to  have  arranged  that  matter  between  them  ;  fire  has  the  ascend- 
ant in,  New  York,  while  water  reigns  in  Philadelphia.  If  a  fire  does 
break  out  here,  the  housekeepers  have  not  the  fear  of  being  burnt  to  death 
before  them  ;  for  the  water  is  poured  onin  such  torrents,  that  the  furni- 
ture is  washed  out  of  the  windows,  and  all  they  have  te  look  out  for,  is 
to  escape  ftom  being  drowned. 

The  public  institutions,  such  as  libraries,  museums,  and  the  private 
cabinets  of  Philadelphia,  are  certainly  very  superior  to  those  of  any  other 
city  or  town  in  America,  Boston  not  excepted.  Everything  that  is  un- 
dertaken in.  this  city  is  well  done;  n& expense  is  spared,  ^though  they 
are  not  so  rapid  in  their  movements  as  at  New  York :  indeed,  the  afflu- 
ence and  ease  pervading  the  place,  with  the  general  cultivation  which 
invariably  attend  them,  are  evident  to  a  stranger. 

Philadelphia  has  claimed  for  herself  the  title  of  the  most  aristocratia 
city  in  the  Union.  If  she  refers  to  the  aristocracy  of  wealth,  I  think  she 
is  justified ;  but  if  she  would  say  the  aristocracy  of  family,  which  is  much 
more  thought  of  by  the  few  who  can  claim  it,  she  must  be  content  to 
divide  that  witH  Boston,  Baltimore,  Charleston,  and  the  other  cities  which 
can  date  as  far  back  as  herself.  Qne  thing  is  certain,  that  in  no  city  is 
there  so  much  fuss  made  about  lineage  and  descent ;  in  no  city  are  there 
■0  many' cliques  and  sets  in  society,  who  keep  apart  from  each  other  ; 
and  it  is  very  often  difHcult  to  ascertain  the  grounds  of  their  distinctions. 
One  family  will  live.^t  No.  1,  and  another  at  No.  2  in  the  same  street, 
both  have  similar  establishments,  both  keep  their  carriages,  both  be  well 
educated,  and  both  may  talk  of  their  grandfathers  and  grandmothers  ;  and 
yet  No.  1  will  tell  you  that  No.  2  is  nobouy ,  and  you  must  not  visit  there ; 
and  when  you  inquire  why  '!  there  is  no  other  answer,  but  that  they  are 
not  of  the  right  sort.  As  long  as  a  portion  are  rich,  and  a  portion  are 
poor,  there  is  a  line  of  demarcation  easy  to  be  drawn,  even  in  a  demo- 
cracy ;  but  in  Philadelphia,  where  there  are  so  many  in  affluent  circum- 
stances, that  line  has  been  effaced,  and  they  now  seek  an  imaginary  one, 
like  the  equinoctial,  which  none  can  be  permitted  to  pass  without  going 
through  the  ceremonies  of  perfect  ablution.  This  social  contest,  as  may 
be  supposed,  is  carried  on  among  those  who  have  no  real  pretensions  ; 
but  there  are  many  old  and  well  connected  families  in  Philadelphia,, 
whose  claims  are  univf^rsally,  although  perhaps  unwillingly  acknow- 
ledged. 

I  doubt  if  th  eclaims  of  Boston  to  be  the  most  scientific  city  in  the 
Union,  can  be  now  established .  I  met  a  greater  number  of  scientific 
men  in  Philadelphia  than  I  did  in  Boston ;  and  certainly  the  public  and 
private  collections  in  the  former  city  are  much  superior.  The  collection 
of  shells  and  minerals  belonging  to  Mr.  Lee,  who  is  well  known  as  an 
author  and  a  naturalist,  is  certamly  the  most  interesting  I  saw  in  the 
states,  and  I  passed  two  days  in  examining  it :  it  must  have  cost  hiirk 
much  trouble  and  research. 

The  Gurard  college,  when  finished,  will  be  a  most  splendid  building. 
It  is,  however,  as  they  have  now  planned  it,  incorrect,  according  to  the 
rules  of  architecture,  in  the  number  of  columns  on  the  sides  in  proportion 
to  those  in  front.  This  is  a  great  pity  ;  perhaps  the  plan  will  be  re-con- 
sidered, as  there  is  plenty  of  time  to  correct  it,  as  well  as  money  to  de- 
fray the  extra  expense. 

The  water-worVs  at  Schuylkill  are  well  worth  a  visit,  not  only  fo^  ♦heir 
beauty,  but  their  simplicity.  The  whole  of  the  river  Schuylkill  is  .:.  m- 
med  up,  and  forms  a  huge  water-power,  which  forces,  up  the  supply  of 


DUBY  IN  AMERICA. 


ei 


water  for  the  use  of  the  city,  As  I  presume  that  river  has  a  god  as  well 
as  others,  I  can  imagine  his  indignation,  not  only  at  his  waters  being  di- 
verted from  his  channel,  but  at  being  himself  obliged  to  do  all  the  work 
for  the  benefit  of  his  tyraimical  masters. 

I  have  said  that  the  muoeums  of  Philadelphia  are  far  superior  to  most 
in  the  states ;  but  I  may  just  as  well  here  observe,  that,  as  in  many  other 
things,  a  great  improvement  is  necessary  before  they  are  such  as  they 
ought  to  be.  There  is  not  only  in  these  museums,  but  in  all  that  I  have 
ever  entered  in  the  United  States,  a  yyant  of  taste  and  discrimination,  of 
that  correct  feeling  which  characterizes  the  real  lovers  of  science,  and 
knowledge  of  what  is  worthy  ot  being  collected.  They  are  such  collec- 
tions as  would  be  made  by  school-boys  and  school-girls,  not  those  of 
erudite  professors  and  scientific  men.  Side  by  side  with  the  most  inte- 
resting and  valuable  specimens,  such  as  the  fossil  mammoth,  &c.,  you 
have  the  greatest  puerilities  and  absurdities  in  the  world — such  as  a 
cherry-stone  formed  into  a  basket,  a  fragment  of  the  boiler  of  the  Moselle 
steamer,  and  Heaven  knows  what  besides.  Then  you  invariably  have  a 
large  collection  of  daubs,  called  portraits  of  eminent  personages,  one- 
half  of  whom  a  stranger  never  heard  of — but  that  is  national  vanity ;  and 
lastly,  I  do  not  recollect  to  have  seen  a  museum  that  had  not  a  consi- 
derable portion  of  its  space  occupied  by  most  execrable  wax-work,  in 
which  the  sleeping  beauty  (a  sad  misnomei')  generally  figures  very  con- 
spicuously. In  some,  th<:«y  have  models  of  celebrated  criminals  in  the 
act  of  committing  a  murder,  with  the  very  hatchet  or  the  very  knife  •  or 

such  trophies  as  the  bonnet  worn  by  Mrs. when  she  was  killed  by 

her  husband  ;  or  the  shirt,  wilh  the  blood  of  his  wife  on  it,  worn  by  Jack 
Sprat,  or  whoever  he  might  be,  when  h«  committed  the  bloody  deed. 
The  most  favourite  subject,  after  the  sleeping  beauty  in  the  wax-work, 
is  General  Jackson,  with  the  battle  of  New  Orleans  in  the  distance. 
Now  all  these  things  are  very  well  in  their  places :  exhibit  wax-work  as 
much  as  you  please — it  amuses  and  interests  children ;  but  the  present 
collections  in  the  museums  remind  you  of  American  society — a  chaotic 
mass,  in  which  you  occasionally  meet  what  is  valuable  and  interesting, 
but  of  which  the  larger  proportion  is  pretence. 

It  was  not  until  Iliad  been  some  time  in  Philadelphia,  that  I  became 
convinced  how  very  superior  the  free  coloured  people  were  in  intelligence 
and  education,  to  what,  from  my  knowledge  of  them  in  our  West  India 
islands,  I  had  ever  imagined  them  capable  of.     Not  that  I  mean  to  imply 
that  they  will  ever  attain  to  the  same  powers  of  intellect  as  the  white 
man,  for  i  really  believe  that  the  race  are  not  formed  for  it  by  the  Al- 
mighty.    I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  there  riever  will  be  great  men  among 
the  African  race,  but  that  such  instances  will  alv.'ays  be  very  rare,  com- 
pared to  the  numbers  produced  among  the  white.     But  this  is  certain, 
that  in  Philadelphia  the  free  coloured  people  are  a  very  respectable  class, 
and,  in  my  opinion,  quite  as  intelligent  as  the  more  humble  of  the  free 
whites.     I  have  been  quite  surprised  to  see  them  take  out  their  pencils, 
write  down  and  calculate  with  quickness  and  precision,  and  in  every 
other  point  show  great  intelligence  and  keenness. 
*•  In  this]  city  they  are  both  numerout  and  wealthy.     The  most  extrava- 
gant funeral  I  saw  in  Philadelphia  was  that  of  a  black  ;  the  coaches  were 
very  numerous,  as  well  as  the  pedestrians,  who  were  all  well  dressed, 
and  behaving  with  the  utmost  decorum.     They  were  preceded  by  a  black 
clergyman,  dressed  in  his  full  black  silk  canonicals.     He  did  look  very 
odd,  I  must  confess. 


h;.j 


f 


82  % 


DIARY  m  AUIKICA. 


Singular  is  the  degree  of  contempt  and  dislike  in  which  the  free  blacks 
are  held  in  all  the  free  states  of  Atneuca.    They  are  deprived  of  their 
rights  as  citizens ;  and  the  white  pauper,  who  holds  out  his  hand  for 
charity  (and  there  is  no  want  of  beggars  in  Philadelphia),  will  turn  away 
from  a  negro,  or  coloured  man,  with  disdain.    It  is  the  same  thing  in  the 
eastern  states,  notwithstanding  their  religious  professions.    In  fact,  in 
the  United  States,  a  negro,  from  his  colour,  and  I  believe  his  colour  alone, 
is  a  degraded  being.     Is  not  this  extrr.ordinary,  in  a  land  which  profess 
universal  liberty,  equality,  and  the  rights  of  man  1     In  England  thin  is 
not  the  case.     In  private  society  no  one  objects  to  sit  in  company  with  a 
man  of  colour,  provided  he  has  the  necessary  education  and  respectability. 
Nor,  indeed,  is  it  the  case  in  the  slave  states^  where  I  have  frequently 
seen  a  lady  in  a  public  conveyance  with  her  negress  sitting  by  her,  and 
'  no  objection  has  been  raised  by  the  other  parties  in  the  coach  ;  but  in  the 
free  states  a  man  of  colour  is  not  admitted  into  a  stage-coach  ;  and  in 
all  other  public  places,  such  as  theatres,  churches,  &c,,  there  is  always 
a  portion  divided  off  for  the  negro  population,  that  they  may  not  be  mixed 
up  with  the  whites.     "When  I  first  landed  at  New  York,  I  had  a  speci- 
men of  this  feeling.     Fastened  by  a  rope  yarn  to  the  rudder  chains  of  a 
vessel  next  in  the  tier,  at  the  wharf  to  which  the  packet  had  hauled  in, 
I  perceived  the  body  of  a  black  man,  turning  over  and  over  with  the  rip- 
ple of  the  waves.     I  was  looking  at  it,  when  a  lad  came  up  ;  probably  his 
curiosity  was  excited  by  my  eyes  being  fixed  in  tliat  direction.     He  look- 
ed, and  perceiving  the  object,  turned  away  with  disdain,  saying,  "  Oh, 
it's  only  a  nigger." 

H  And  all  the  free  states  in  America  respond  to  the  observation,  "  It's 
only  a  nigger."*  At  the  time  that  I  was  at  Philadelphia  a  curious  cause 
was  decided.  A  coloured  man  of  the  name  of  James  Fortin,  who  was, 
I  believe,  ai-^ailmaker  by  profession,  but  at  all  events  a  person  not  only 
of  the  highest  respectability,  but  said  to  be  worth  150,000  dollars^  ap- 

Eealed  because  he  was  not  permitted  to  vote  at  elections,  and  claimed 
is  right  as  a  free  citizen.  The  cause  was  tried,  and  the  verdict,  a  very 
lengthy  one,  was  given  by  the  judge  against  him.  I  have  not  that  ver- 
dict in  my  possession  :  but  I  have  the  opinion  of  the  supreme  court  on 
one  which  was  given  before,  and  I  here  insert  it  as  a  curiosity.  .It  is  a 
remarkable  feature  in  the  tyranny  and  injustice  of  this  case,  that  although 
James  Fortin  was  not  considered  white  enough  (he  is,  I  believe,  a  mu- 
latto) to  vote  as  a  citizen,  he  has  always  been  quite  white  enough  to  be 

'^  ♦  "  On  the  whole,  I  cannot  help  considering  it  a  mistake  to  suppose  that 
slavery  has  been  abolished  in, the  northern  scutes  of  the  Union.    It  is  true, 
indeed,  that  in  these  states  the  power  of   rompulsory  labour  no  longer 
exists  ;  and  that  one  human  being  within  their  limits  can  ho  longer  claim 
property  in  the  thews  and  sinews  of  another.    But  is  this  nil  that  is^  implied 
in  the  boon  of  freedom  ?    If  tho  word  mean  a:iythin;,  it  must  mean  the  en- 
joyment of  equal  rights,  and  the  unfettered  exercise  in  each  ind  ividual  of 
such  powers  and  faculties  as  God  has  given.    In  this  true   meaning  of 
the  word  it  may  be  safely  asserted  that  t!his  poor  degraded  class  are  still 
slaves— they  are  subject  to  the  most  grinding   and    humiliating  of  all 
slaveries,  that  of  universal  and  u/iconquerable  prejudice.    The  whip  in- 
deed, has  been  removed  from  the  back  of  the  negro ;  but  the  chains  are 
still  upon  his  limbs,  and  he  bears  the  brand  of  degradation  on  his  forohead. 
What  is  it  but  the  mere  abuse  of  language  to  call  him  free,  who  is  tyranically 
deprived  of  all  the  motives  to  exertion  which  animate  other  men  'I    The 
law,  in  truth,  has  left  him  in  that  most  pitiable  of  all  conditions — a  mastsrltss 
$lave" — Hamiltoii's  Men  and  Manners  in  A.merica. 


DaiY  IN  IMEltlOA. 


83 


fee  blacks 
-d  of  their 
i  hand  for 
turn  away 
liing  in  tho 
hi  fact,  in 
ilour  alone, 
ch  profess 
and  thia  is 
}any  with  » 
pectability. 
5  frequently 
by  her,  and 
;  but  in  the 
ich  ;  and  in 
re  is  always 
lot  be  mixed 
had  a  speci- 
chains  of  a 
id  hauled  in, 
with  liie  rip- 
probably  his 
1.     He  look- 
laying,  "  Oh, 

•vation,  "  It's 
lurious  cause 
in,  who  was, 

Sson  not  only 
I  dollars,  ap- 
and  claimed 
erdict,  a  very 
not  that  ver- 
ime  court  on 
>sity.  .It  is  a 
that  although 
elieve,  a  mu- 
enough  to  be 

suppose  that 
.  It  is  true, 
ur  no  longer 
longer  claim 
lat  is  implied 
mean  the  en- 
incl  ividual  of 
meaning  of 
lass  are  still 
ialing  of  all 
The  whip  Jn- 
,he  chains  arc 
his  forohcad. 
is  tvranically 
men  ?  The 
—a  mastBtleis 


Weed  as  one,  and  has  to, pay  his  proportion,  (which,  from  the  extent  of 
his  business,  is  nO  trifle,  of  all  the  rates^  and  assessments  considered  re- 
quisite for  the  support  of  the  poor,  and'  improving  and  beautifying  that 
city,  of  which  he  19  declared  not  to  be  a  citizen. 

Although  the  decision  of  the  supreme  court  enters  into  a  lengthened 
detail,  yet  as  it  is  very  acute  and  argumentative,  and  touches  upon  sever 
ral  other  po'iits  equally  anomalous  to  tho  boasted  freedom  of  the  Ameri- 
can institutions,  I  wish  the  reader  would  peruse  it  carefully,  as  it  will 
amply  repay  liim  for  his  trouble  ; '  and  it  is  that  he  may  read  it,  that  I 
have  net  inserted  it  in  an  appendix. 

The  question  arose  upon  a  writ  of  error  to  the  judgment  of  the  common 
pleas  of  Luzerne  county,  in  an  action  by  Wm.  Fogg,  a  negro,  against  Hiram 
Hobbs,  inspector,  and  Levi  Baldwin  and  others,  judges  of  the  election, 
for  refusing  his  vote.  In  the  court  below  the  plaintiff  recovered.  The 
supreme  court  being  of  opinion  that  a  negro  has  not  a  right  to  vote  under 
the  present  constitution,  reversed  the  judgnlent. 

"  Respectfully,  Fred.  Watts. 

"  Wm.  Fogo  v.  Hiram  Hobbs  and  others. 
"The  opinion  of  the  court  was  delivered  by  Gibson,  C.  J. 

"  This  record  raises,  a  second  time,  the  only  question  on  a  phrase  in 
the  Constitution  which  has  occurred  since  its  adoption  ;  and  however 
partizans  may  have  disputed  the  clearness  and  precision  of  pbnseology, 
we  have  often  been  called  upon  to  enforce  its  limitations  of  legislative 
power ;  but  the  business  of  interpretation  was  incidental,  and  the  diffi- 
culty was  not  in  the  diction,  but  in  the  uncertainty  of  the  act  to  which  it 
was  to  be  applied      I  have  said  a  question  on  the  meaning  of  a  phrase 
has  arisen  a  second  time.     It  would  be  more  accurate  to  say  the  same 
question  lias  arisen  the  second  time.     About  the  year  1795,  as  I  have  it 
from  James  Gibson,  Esquire,  of  the  Philadelphia  bar,  the  very  point  be- 
fore a«  was  ruled  by  the  high  court  of  errors  and  appeals  against  the 
right  of  negro  suffrage.      Mr.  Gibson  declined  an  invitation  to  be  con- 
cerned in  the  argument,  and  therefore  has  no  memorandum  of  the  cause 
to  direct  us  to  the  record.     I  have  had  the  office  searched  for  it ;  but  the 
papers  had  fallen  into  such  disorder  as  to  preclude  a  hope  of  its  discove- 
ry.    Most  of  them  were  imperfect,  and  many  were   lost  or  misplaced. 
But  Mr.  Gibson's  rememWance  of  tha  decision  is  perfect,  and  entitled  to 
full  confidence.     That  the  case  was  not  reported,  is  probably  owing  to 
the  fact  tliat  the  judges  gave  no  reasons  ;  and  the  omission  is  the  more 
to  be  regretted,  as  a  report  of  it  would  have  put  the  question  at  rest,  and 
prevented  much  unpleasant  excitement.     Still  the  judgment  is  not  the 
less  authoritative  as  a  precedent.     Standing  as  the  court  of  last  resort, 
that  tribunal  bore  the  same  relation  to  this  court  that  the  supreme  court 
does  to  the  common  pleas  ;  and  as  it^  authority  could  not  be  questioned 
then,  it  cannot  be  questioned  now.     The  point,  therefore,  is  not  open  to 
discussion  on  original  grounds. 

"  But  the  omission  of  the  judges  renders  it  proper  to  show  that  their 
decision  was  founded  in  the  two  principles  of  the  constitution.  In  the 
fust  section  of  the  third  article  it  is  declared,  that  '  in  elections  by  the 
citizens,  every  freeman  of  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  having  resided  in 
the  state  two  years  before  the  election,  and  having  within  that  time  paid 
a  state  or  county  tax,  shall  enjoy  the  rights  of  an  elector.'  Now,  the 
argument  of  those  who  assert  the  claim  of  the  coloured  population  is,  that 


0 


84 


DUKY  m  AtinWM. 


a  n0gro  is  a  man ;  and  when  not  held  to  invohintwy  service,  that  he  is 
free,  consequently  that  he  is  tifreenum ;  and  if  &  freeman  in  the  common 
acceptation  of  the  term,  then  a  freemiiQ  in  every  acceptation  of  it.     This 

Eithy  and  syllogistic  sentence  comprises  the  whole  argument,  which, 
owever  elaborated,  perpetually  gets  back  to  ttie  point  from  which  it 
started.    The  fallacy  of  it  is  its  assumption  that  the  term '  freedom  '  sig- 
nifies nothing  but  exemption  from  involuntary  service  ;  and  that  it  has  nbt 
a  legal  signification  more  specific.     The  freedom  of  a  municipal  corpo- 
ration, t)r  body  politic,  implies  fellowship  and  participation  of  corporate 
rights ;  but  an  inhabitant  of  an  incorporated  place,  who  is  neither  servant 
nor  slave,  though  bound  by  its  laws,  may  be  no  freeman  in  respect  to  its 
government.  It  has  indeed  been  affirmed  by  text  writers,  that  habitance, 
paying  scot  and  lot,  give  an  incidental  right  to  corporate  freedom  ;  but 
the  courts  have  refused  to  acknowledge  it,  even  when  the  charter  seemed 
to  imply  it ;  and  when  not  derived  from  prescription  or  grant,  it  has  been 
deemed  a  qualification  merely*  and  not  a  title.  {Wilcox,  chap.  iii.  p.  450.) 
Let  it  not  be  said  that  the  legal  meaning  of  the  word  freeman  is  pecuHar 
to  British  corporations,  and  that  we  have  it  not  in  the  charters  and  con- 
stitutions of  Pennsylvania.     The  laws  agreed  upon  in  England  in  May, 
1682,  use  the  word  in  this  specific  sense,  and  even  furnish  a  definition 
of  it :  '  Eyery  inhabitant  of  the  said  province  that  is,  or  shall  be,  a  pur- 
chaser of  one  hundred  acres  of  land  or  upwards,  his  heirs  or  assigns,  and 
every  person  who  shall  have  paid  his  passage,  and   shall  have  taken 
up  one  hjDipdred  acres  of  land,  at  a  penny  an  acre,  and  have  cultivated 
ten  acres  ulereof ;  and  every  person  that  hath  been  a  servant  or  a  bonds- 
man, and  if  free  by  his  service,  that  shall  have  taken  up  his  fifty  acres  of 
land,  and  shall  have  cultivated  twenty  thereof;  and  every  inhabitant,  arti- 
ficer, or  other  resident  in  the  said  province,  that  pays  scot  and  lot  to  the 
government,  shall  be  deemed  and  accounted  a  freekan  of  the  said  -province ; 
apd  every  such  person  shall  be  capable  of  electing,  or  being  elected  re- 
presentatives of  the  people  in  provincial  council,  or  general  assembly  of 
the  said  proviiice.'    Now,  why  is  this  minute  and  elaborate  detail  1     Had 
it  been  intended  that  all  but  servants  and  slaves  should  be  freemen  to 
every  intent,  it  had  been  easier  and  mote  natural  to  say  so.     But  it  was 
not  intended.      It  was  foreseen  that  there  would  be  inhabitants,  neither 
planters  nor  taxable,  who,  though  free  as  the  winds,  might  be  unsafe  de- 
positaries of  po[iular  power ;  and  the  design  was,  to  admit  no  man  to  the 
freedom  of  the  province  who  had  not  a  stake  in  it.     That  the  clause 
which  relates  to  freedom  by  service  was  not  intended  for  manumitted 
slaves   is  evident,  from  the  fact  that  there  were  none ;  and  it  regarded 
not  slavery,  but  limited  servitude  expired  by  efiHux  of  time.     At  that 
time,  certainly  the  case  of  a  manumitted  slave,  or  of  his  free-born  pro- 
geny, was  not  contemplated  as  one  to  be  provided  for  in  the  founder's 
scheme  of  policy  :  I  have  quoted  the  passage,  however,  to  show  that  the 
word  freeman  was  applied  in  a  peculiar  sense  to  the  political  compact  of 
our  ancestors,  resting  like  a  corporation,  on  a  charter  from  the  crown  ; 
and  exactly  as  it  was  applied  to  bodies  politic  at  home.     lu  entire  con- 
sonance, it  was  declared  in  the  Act  of  the  Union,  given  at  Chester  in  the 
same  year,  that  strangers  and  foreigners  holding  land  '  according  to  the 
law  of  a  freeman,'  and  promising  obedience  to  the  proprietary,  as  well  as 
allegiance  to  the  crown,  '  shall  be  held  and  reputed  freemen  of  the  pro- 
vince and  counties  aforesaid;'  and  it  was  farther  declared,  that  when  a 
foreigner  '  shall  make  his  request  to  the   governor  of  the  province  for 
the  foresaid  freedom,  the  same  person  shall  be  admitted  on  the  conditions 


■w 


SIABT  IN  AMERICA. 


81     X 


herein  expressed,  paying  twenty  shillings  sterling,  and  no  more  :* — mo^ 
of  expressinn  peculiaily  appropriate  to  corporate  fellowship.  The  word 
in  the  same  sense  pervades  the  charter  of  privileges,  t\,?i  act  of  settle^ 
inent,  and  the  act  of  naturalization,  in  the  preamble  to  the  last  of  which 
it  was  said,  that  some  of  the  inhabitants  were  '  foreigners  and  not  free- 
men, according  to  the  acceptation  of  the  laws  of  England ;'  it  held  its 
place  also  in  the  legislative  style  of  enactment  down  to  the  adoption  of 
the  present  constitution;  after  which,  the  words  'by  and  with  the  advice 
and  consent  of  the  freemen,'  were  left  out,  and  the  present  style  substi- 
tuted. Thus,  till  the  instant  when  the  phrase  on  which  the  question 
tnrns  was  penned,  the  term  freemen  had  a  peculiar  and  specific  sense, 
being  used  like  the  term  citizen,  which  supplanted  it,  to  denote  one  who 
had  a  voice  in  public  affairs.  The  citizens;  were  denominated  freemen 
even  in  the  constitution  of  1776  ;  and  under  the  present  constitution,  the 
word,  though  dropped  in  the  style,  was  used  in  legislative  acts,  converti- 
ble with  electors,  so  late  as  the  year  1798,  when  it  grew  into  disuse.  la 
an  act  passed  the  4th  of  April  in  that  year,  for  the  establishment  of  cer- 
tain election  districts,  it  was,  lor  the  first  tii :.e,  used  indiscriminately  with 
that  word  ;  since  when  it  has  been  entirely  disused.  Now,  it  will  not  be 
pretended,  that  the  legislature  meant  to  have  it  inferred,  that  every  one 
not  a  freeman  within  the  purview,  should  be  deemed  a  slave  ;  and  how 
can  a  convergent  intent  be  collected  from  the  same  word  in  the  constitu- 
tion that  every  one  not  a  slave  is  to  be  accounted  an  elector  1  Except  for 
the  word  citizen,  which  stands  in  the  context  also  as  a  term  of  qualifica- 
tion, an  affirmance  of  these  propositions  would  extend  the  right  of  suf- 
frage to  aliens  ;  and  to  admit  of  any  exception  to  the  argument,  its  force 
being  derived  from  the  supposed  universality  of  the  term,  would  destroy 
it.  Once  concede  that  there  may  be  a  freeman  in  one  sense  of  it,  who 
is  not  so  in  another,  and  the  whole  ground  is  surrendered.  In  what 
sense,  then,  must  the  convention  of  1790  be  supposed  to  have  used  the 
term'!  questionless  in  that  which  it  had  acquired  by  use  in  public  acts 
and  legal  proceedings,  for  the  reason  that  a  dubious  statue  is  to  be  ex- 
pounded by  usage.  '  The  meaning  of  things  spoken  and  written,  must 
be  as  hath  been  constantly  received.'  (Vaugh,  169.)  On  this  principle, 
it  is  difficult  to  discover  how  the  word  freeman,  as  used  in  previous  pub- 
lic acts,  could  have  been  meant  to  comprehend  a  coloured  race  :  as  well 
might  it  be  supposed,  that  the  declaration  of  universal  and  unalienable 
freedom  in  both  our  constitutions  was  meant  to  comprehend  it.  Nothing 
was  ever  more  comprehensively  predicted,  and  a  practical  enforcement 
of  it  '.vould  have  liberated  every  slave  in  the  state  ;  yet  mitigated  slavery 
long  continued  to  exist  among  us,  in  derogation  of  it.  Rules  of  interpre- 
tation demand  a  strictly  verbal  construction  of  nothing  but  a  penal  sta- 
tue :  and  a  constitution  is  to  be  construed  still  more  liberal  than  even  a 
remedial  one,  because  a  convention  legislating  for  masses,  can  do  Uttle 
more  than  mark  an  outline  of  fundamental  principles,  leaving  the  interior 
gyrations  and  details  to  be  filled  up  by  ordinary  legislation.  <  Conven- 
tions intended  to  regulate  the  conduct  of  nations,  said  Chief  Justice 
Tilghman,  in  the  Farmers'  Bank  «.  Smith,  3  Sergt.  «&  Rawl.  69,  *  are 
not  to  be  construed  like  articles  of  agreement  at  the  common  law.  It  is 
of  little  importance  to  the  publ.  whether  a  tract  of  land  belongs  to  A. 
cr  B.  In  deciding  these  titles,  strict  rules  of  construction  may  be  ad- 
hered to  ;  and  it  is  best  that  they  should  be  adhered  to,  though  sometimes 
at  the  expense  of  justice.  But  where  multitudes  are  to  be  affected  by 
the  construction  of  an  amendment,  great  regard  is  to  be  paid  to  the  spirit 

8 


M 


dUry  in  AVttiOi. 


fend  intention.'  What  better  key  to  these,  than  the  tone  of  antetfecfettt 
legislation  discoverable  in  the  application  of  the  disputed  terms. 

"  But  in  addition  to  interpretation  from  usage,  this  antecedent  legisla-' 
tion  furnishes  other  proofs  that  no  coloured  race  was  party  to  our  social 
compact.  As  was  justly  remarked  by  President  Fox,  in  the  matter  of 
the  late  contested  election,  our  ancestors  settled  the  province  as  a  com-' 
munity  of  white  men,  and  the  blacks  were  introduced  into  it  as  a  race  of 
•laves,  whence  an  unconquerable  prejudice  of  caste,  which  has  come 
down  to  our  day,  insomuch  that  a  suspicion  of  taint  still  has  the  unjust' 
effect  of  sinking  the  subject  of  it  below  the  common  level.  Consistently 
with  this  prejudice,  is  it  to  be  credited  that  parity  of  rank  would  be  allow- 
ed to  such  a  race  1  Let  the  question  be  answered  by  the  statute  of  1726, 
which  denominated  it  an  idle  and  a  slothful  people  ;  which  directed  the 
tnagistraies  to  bind  out  free  negroes  for  laziness  or  vagrancy ;  which 
forbade  them  to  harbour  Indian  or  mulatto  slaves  on  pain  of  punishment 
by  fine,  or  to  deal  with  negro  slaves,  on  pain  of  stripes ;  which  annexed 
to  the  interdict  of  marriage  with  a  white,  the  penalty  of  reduction  to  sla- 
Tery ;  which  punished  them  for  tippling  with  stripes,  and  even  a  white 
person  with  servitude  fur  intermarriage  with  a  negro.  If  freemen,  in  a 
political  sense,  were  subjects  of  these  cruel  and  degrading  oppressions, 
what  must  have  been  the  lot  of  their  brethren  in  bondage  1  It  is  also 
true,  that  degrading  conditions  were  sometimes  assigned  to  white  men, 
but  never  as  members  of  a  caste.  Insolvent  debtors,  to  indicate  the 
worst  of  them,  are  compelled  to  make  satisfaction  by  servitude  ;  but  that 
was  borrowed  from  a  kindred,  and  still  less  rational,  principle  of  the  com- 
mon law.  This  act  of  1726,  however,  remained  in  force,  till  it  was  re- 
pealed by  the  Emancipating  Act  of  1789  ;  and  it  is  irrational  to  believe, 
that  the  progress  of  liberal  sentiments  was  so  rapid  in  the  next  ten  years, 
as  to  produce  a  determination  in  the  convention  of  1790  to  raise  this  de-' 
pressed  race  to  the  level  of  the  white  one.  If  such  were  its  purpose,  it 
IS  strange  that  the  word  chosen  to  effect  it  should  have  been  the  vary 
one  chosen  by  the  convention  of  1776  to  designate  a  white  elector. 
*  Every  freeman,'  it  is  said,  (chap.  2,  sect.  6,)  'of  the  full  age  of  twenty- 
one  years,  having  resided  in  this  state  for  the  space  of  one  whole  year 
before  the  day  of  election,  and  paid  taxes  during  that  time,  shall  enjoy 
the  rights  of  an  elector.'  Now,  if  the  word  freeman  were  not  potent 
Enough  to  admit  a  free  negro  to  suffrage  under  the  first  constitution,  it  is 
difficult  to  discern  a  degree  of  magic  in  the  intervening  plan  of  emanci- 
pation sufficient  to  give  it  potency,  in  the  apprehension  of  the  conven- 
tion under  the  second. 

"  The  only  thing  in  the  history  of  the  convention  which  casts  a  doubt 
upon  the  intent,  is  the  fact,  that  the  word  white  was  prefixed  to  the  word 
freeman  in  the  report  of  the  committee,  and  subsequently  struck  out — 
probably  because  it  was  thought  superfluous,  or  still  more  probably,  be- 
cause it  was  feared  that  respectable  men  of  dark  complexion  would  often 
be  insulted  at  the  polls,  by  objections  to  their  colour.  I  have  heard  it 
said,  that  Mr.  Gallatin  sustained  his  motion  to  strike  oot  on  the  latter 
ground.  Whatever  the  motive,  the  disseverence  is  iniufficient  to  wrap 
the  interpretation  of  a  word  of  such  settled  and  determinate  meaning  as 
the  one  which  remained.  A  legislative  body  speaks  to  the  judiciary,  only 
through  its  final  act,  and  expresses  its  will  in  the  words  of  it ;  and  though 
their  meaning  may  be  influenced  by  the  sense  in  which  they  have  usually 
been  applied  to  extrinsic  matters,  we  cannot  receive  an  explanation  of 
them  from  what  has  been  moved  or  said  in  debate.    The  place  of  a  judge 


DUKY  IN  AUttLlCA. 


87 


s  purpose,  it 


VI  his  forum — not  the  legislative  hall.  Were  he  even  disposed  to  pry 
into  the  motives  of  the  members,  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  as- 
certain them ;  and,  in  attempting  to  discover  the  ground  on  which  the 
conclusion  was  obtained,  it  is  not  probable  that  a  member  of  the  majority 
could  indicate  any  that  was  common  to  all ;  previous  prepositions  are 
merged  in  the  act  of  consummation,  and  the  interpreter  of  it  must  look 
to  that  alone. 

"  I  have  thought  it  fair  to  treat  the  question  as  it  stands  affected  by 
our  own  municipal  regulations,  without  illustration  from  those  of  other 
states,  where  the  condition  of  the  race  has  been  still  less  favoured.  Yet 
it  is  proper  to  say,  that  the  second  section  of  the  fourth  article  of  the 
Federal  Constitution  presents  an  obstacle  to  the  political  freedom  of  the 
negro,  which  seems  to  he  insuperable.  It  is  to  be  remembered  that  citi> 
zenship,  as  well  as  freedom,  is  a  constitutional  qualification ;  and  how 
it  could  be  conferred,  so  as  to  overbear  the  laws,  imposing  countless  dis- 
abilities  on  him  in  other  states,  is  a  problem  of  difficult  solution.  In  thii 
aspect,  the  question  becomes  one,  not  of  intention^  but  of  power ;  so 
doubtful,  as  to  forbid  the  exercise  of  it.  Every  man  must  lament  the 
necessity  of  the  disabilities ;  but  slavery  is  to  be  dealt  with  by  those 
whose  existence  depends  on  the  skill  with  which  it  is  treated.  Con> 
siderations  of  mere  humanity,  however,  belong  to  a  class  with  which,  as 
judges,  we  have  nothing  to  do  ;  and  interp'^eting  the  constitution  in  the 
spirit  of  our  own  institutions,  we  are  bound  to  pronounce  that  men  of 
colour  are  destitute  of  title  to  the  elective  franchise :  their  blood,  how- 
ever, may  become  so  diluted  in  successive  descent,  as  to  lose  its  dis- 
tinctive character;  and  then  both  policy  and  justice  require  that  pre- 
vious disabilities  should  cease.  By  the  amended  constitution  of  North 
Carolina,  no  free  negro,  mulatto,  or  free  person  of  mixed  blood,  de- 
scended from  negro  ancestors  to  the  fourth  generation  inclusive,  though 
one  ancestor  of  each  generation  may  have  been  a  white  person,  shall  vote 
for  the  Legislature.  I  regret  to  say,  no  similar  regulation,  for  practical 
purposes,  has  been  attempted  here ;  in  consequence  of  which,  every 
case  of  disputed  colour  must  be  determined  by  no  particular  rule,  but  by 
the  discretion  of  the  judges ;  and  thus  a  great  constitutional  right,  even 
under  the  proposed  amendments  of  the  constitution,  will  be  left  the 
sport  of  caprice.  In  conclusion,  we  are  of  opinion  the  court  erred  in 
directing  that  the  p!  intiff  could  have  his  action  against  the  defendant 
for  the  rejection  of  his  vote.     Judgment  reversed." 

It  will  be  observed  by  those  who  have  had  patience  to  read  through 
so  long  a  legal  document,  that  reference  is  made  to  the  unjust  prejudice 
against  any  taint  of  the  African  blood.  There  is  an  existing  proof  of  the 
truth  of  this  remark,  in  the  case  of  one  of  the  most  distinguished  mem- 
ber!! of  the  house  of  representatives.  This  gentleman  has  some  children 
who  are  not  of  pure  blood ;  but,  to  his  honour,  he  has  done  his  duty  by 
them,  he  has  educated  them,  and  received  them  into  his  house  as  his  ac- 
knowledged daughter*  What  is  the  consequence  ?  Why,  it  is  con- 
sidered that  by  doing  so  he  has  outraged  society  ;  and  whenever  they 
want  to  raise  a  cry  against  hira,  this  is  the  charge,  and  very  injurious 
ii  is  to  his  popularity, — '•  that  he  has  done  his  duty  as  a  father  and  a 
Christian." 

"  Captain  Marryat,  we  are  a  very  moral  people  !" 

The  laws  of  the  state  relative  to  the  intermarriage  of  tho  whites  with 
the  coloured  population  arc  also  referred  to.  A  case  of  this  kind  took 
place  at  New  York  when  I  was  there  ;  and  as  soon  as  the  ceremony 


88 


DIARY   IN  AMIKIOA. 


was  over,  the  husband,  I  believe  it  was,  but  either  the  husband  or  the  wife, 
was  seized  by  the  mob,  and  put  under  the  pump  ior  half  an  hour.  At 
Boston,  similar  modes  of  expressing  public  opinion  have  been  adopted, 
notwithstanding  that  that  city  is  the  strong  hold  of  the  abolitionists. 

It  also  refers  to  the  white  slavery,  which  was  not  abolished  until  the 
year  1789.  Previous  to  that  period,  a  man  who  arrived  out,  from  the 
old  continent,  and  could  not  pay  his  passage,  was  put  up  to  auction  for 
the  amount  of  his  debt,  and  was  compelled  to  serve  until  he  had  worked 
it  out  '.vith  the  purchaser.  But  not  only  for  the  debt  of  passage-money, 
but  for  other  debts,  a  white  man  was  put  up  to  auction,  and  uold  to  the 
best  bidder.  They  tell  a  curious  story,  for  the  truth  of  which  I  cannot 
vouch,  of  a  lawyer,  a  very  clever  but  dissipated  and  extravagant  man, 
who,  having  contracted  large  debts  and  escaped  to  New  Jersey,  was 
taken  and  put  up  to  auction  ;  a  keen  Yankee  purchased  him,  and  took 
him  regularly  round  to  all  the  circuits  to  plead  causes,  and  made  a  very 
considerable  sum  out  of  him  before  his  time  expired. 

I  have  observed  that  Mr.  Fortin,  the  coloured  man,  was  considered 
quite  white  enough  to  pay  taxes.  It  is  usually  considered  in  this  coun- 
try that  by  going  to  America  you  avoid  taxation,  but  such  is  not  the  case. 
The  municipal  taxes  are  not  very  light.  I  could  not  obtain  any  very 
satisfactory  estimates  from  the  other  cities,  but  I  gained  thus  much 
from  Philadelphia. 

The  assessments  are  on  property. 

City  tax,  70  cents  upon  100  dollars  valuation. 

County  tax,  66  cents  upon  ditto. 

Poofs  rate,  40  cents. 

Taxes  on  horses,  1  dollar  each.  '•'  ' 

Taxes  on  doga,  half  a  dollar  each. 

Poll  tax,  from  a  quarter  dollar  to  4  dollars  each  person. 

It  is  singular  that  such  a  tax  as  the  poll  tax,  that  which  created  the 
insurrection  of  Wat  Tyler  in  England,  snould  have  forced  its  way  into  a 
democracy.  In  the  collection  of  their  taxes,  they  are  quite  as  summary 
as  they  are  in  England.     This  is  the  notice  : 

"  You  are  hereby  informed,  that  your  property  is  included  in  a  list  of 
delinquents  nov/  preparing,  and  will  b«  advertised  and  sold  for  the  assess- 
ments due  thereon.    (This  being  the  last  call.) 

"  Your  immediate  attention  will  save  the  costs  of  advertising,  sale,  &c. 

" Collector. 

"  Collector's  Office,  No.  1,  State  of ." 

It  is  a  strange  fact,  and  one  which  must  have  attracted  the  reader's 
notice,  that  there  should  be  a  poor's  rate  in  America,  where  there  is  work 
for  every  body ;  and  still  stranger  that  there  should  be  one  in  the  city 
of  Philadelphia,  in  which,  perhaps,  there  are  more  beneficient  and  chari- 
table institutions  than  in  any  city  in  the  world  of  the  same  population  ; 
notwithstanding  this  there  are  many  mendicants  in  the  streets.  All  this 
arises  from  the  advantage  taken  of  an  unwise  philanthropy  in  the  first 
place,  many  people  preferring  to  live  upon  alms  in  preference  to  labqur  ; 
and  next  from  the  state  of  destitution  to  which  many  of  the  emigrants 
are  reduced  after  their  arrival,  and  before  they  can  obtain  employment. 
Indeed,  not  only  Philadelphia,  but  Baltimore  and  New  York,  are  equally 
charged  for  the  support  of  these  people — the  two  first  by  legal  enactment, 
the  latter  by  voluntary  subscription.  And  it  is  much  to  the  credit  of 
the  inhabitants  of  all  these  cities  that  the  charge  is  paid  cheerfully,  and 
that  an  appeal  is  never  made  in  vain. 


sband  or  the  wife, 
alf  an  hour.     At 
I'e  been  adopted, 
Bbolitioniats. 
•olished  until  the 
ed  out,  from  the 
ip  to  auction  for 
iJ  he  had  worked 
passage-money, 
and  tiold  to  the 
( which  I  cannot 
xtravagant  man, 
few  Jersey,  was 
d  him,  and  took 
nd  made  a  very 

was  considered 
ed  in  this  coun- 
is  not  the  case, 
obtain  any  veiy 
ned  thus  much 


BURY  IN  AMKXIOA. 


89 


ich  created  the 
1  its  way  into  a 
te  as  summarj 

ded  in  a  list  of 
for  the  assess. 

ng,  sale,  &c. 
Collector. 

the  reader's 
there  is  work 
le  in  the  city 
nt  and  chari- 

population  ; 
ts.     All  this 

in  the  first 
e  to  labpur ; 
e  emigrants 
employment. 

are  equally 

enactment, 
e  credit  of 
erfully,  and 


Bat  let  the  Americans  beware :  the  poor  rate  at  present  is  trifling— 
40  cents  in  100  dollars,  or  about  Ijfd.  in  the  pound ;  but  they  must  re- 
collect, that  they  were  not  more  in  England  about  half  a  century  back, 
and  see  to  what  they  have  risen  now  !  ft  is  the  principle  which  is  bad. 
There  are  now  in  Philadelphia  more  than  1,600  paupers,  who  live  entire- 
ly^upon  the  public  ;  but  who,  if  relief  had  not  been  continued  to  them, 
would,  in  all  probability,  by  this  time,  have  found  their  way  to  where 
their  labour  is  required.  The  Philadelphians  are  proverbially  generous 
and  charitable  ;  but  they  should  remember  that  in  thus  yielding  to  the 
dictates  of  their  hearts,  they  are  sowing  the  seeds  of  what  will  prove  a 
bitter  curse  to  their  posterity.^ 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Washington. — Here  are  assembled  from  every  state  in  the  Union 
what  ought  to  be  the  collected  talent,  intelligence,  and  high  principle  of  a 
free  and  enlightened  nation.  Of  talent  and  intelligence  there  is  a  Vfry 
fair  supply,  but  principle  is  noV so  much  in  demana;  and  in  everything, 
and  everywhere,  by  the  demand  the  supply  is  always  regulated. 

Everybody  ktiows  that  Washington  has  a  Capitol ;  but  the  misfortune 
i»  that  the  Capitol  wants  a  city.  There  it  stands,  reminding  you  of  a 
general  without  an  army,  only  surrounded  and  followed  by  a  parcel  of 
ragged  little  dirty  boys  ;  for  such  is  the  appearance  of  the  dirty,  straggling, 
ill-built  houses  which  lie  at  the  foot  of  it.  ,, 

Washington,  notwithstanding,  is  an  agreeable  city,  full  of  pleasant 
clever  people,  who  come  there  to  amuse  and  be  amused ;  and  you  ob- 
serve in  the  company  (although  you  occasionally  meet  some  very  queer 
importations  from  the  Western  settlements)  much  more  u^age  du  monde 
and  continental  ease  than  in  any  other  parts  of  the  states.  A  large  por- 
tion of  those  who  come  up  for  the  meeting  of  congress,  as  well  as  of  the 
residents,  having  travelled,  and  thereby  gained  more  respect  for  other 
nations,  are  consequently  not  so  conceited  about  their  own  country  as 
are  the  majority  of  the  Americans. 

If  anything  were  required  to  make  Washington  a  more  agreeable 

Elace  than  it  is  at  all  times,  the  arrival  and  subsequent  conduct  of  Mr. 
'ox  as  British  ambassador  would  be  sufficient.  His  marked  attention  to 
all  the  Americans  of  respectability ;  his  empressement  in  returning  the 
calls  of  English  gentlemen  who  may  happen  to  arrive,  his  open  house  ; 
his  munificent  allowance,  dedicated  wholly  to  the  giving  of  fetes  and  din- 
ner parties  as  his  Sovereign's  representative  ;  and,  above  all,  his  exces- 
sive urbanity,  can  never  be  forgotten  by  those  who  have  ever  visited  the 
Capitol. 

The  Chamber  of  the  House  of  Representatives  is  a  fine  room,  and 
taking  the  average  of  the  orations  delivered  there,  it  possesses  this  one 
great  merit — you  cannot  hear  in  it.  Were  I  to  make  a  comparison  be- 
tween the  members  of  our  House  of  Commons  and  those  of  the  House 

.*  Miss  Martineau,  who  is  not  always  wrong,  in  her  remarks  upon  pau- 
perism in  the  United  States,  observes : — "  The  amount,  altogether,  is  far 
from  commensurate  with  the  charily  of  the  community  ;  and  it  is  to  be  hoped 
that  the  curse  of  a  legal  charity  will  be  avoided  in  a  country  where  it  certain- 
ly cannot  become  necessary  within  any  assignable  time.  I  was  grieved  to 
see  the  magnificent  Pauper  Asylum  near  Philadelphia,  made  to  accommodate, 
luxuriously,  1,200  persons  ;  and  to  have  its  arrangements  pointed  out  to  mo, 
as  yielding  more  comforts  to  the  inmates  than  the  labourer  could  secure  at 
home  by  any  degree  of  industry  and  prudence. 

8* 


90 


DURr  m  AHBRICA. 


of  Reproientativea,  I  should  say  that  the  latter  had  certafnly  great  advart- 
tages.  In  the  first  place,  the  members  of  the  American  Senate  and 
House  of  Representatives  are  paid,  not  only  their  travelling  expenses  to 
and  fro,  but  eight  dollars  a  day  during  the  sitting  of  congress.  Out  of 
these  allowances  many  save  money,  and  those  who  do  not,  are  at  all 
events  enabled  to  bring  their  families  uf  to  Washington  for  a  little  amuse- 
ment.  In  the  next  place,  they  are  so  comfortably  accommodated  in  the 
house,  every  man  having  his  own  well-stuflTed  arm-chair,  and  before  him 
his  desk,  with  his  papers  and  notes  !  Then  they  are  supphed  with  every- 
thing, even  to  pen-knives  with  their  names  engraved  on  them — each 
knife  having  two  pen-blades,  one  whittling  blade,  and  a  fourth  to  clean 
their  nails  with,  showing  on  the  part  of  the  government,  a  paternal  re- 
gard for  their  cleanliness  as  well  as  convenience.  Moreover,  they  never 
work  at  night,  and  do  very  little  during  the  day. 

It  is  astonishing  hnw  little  work  they  get  through  in  a  session  at  Wash- 
higton  :  this  is  owing  to  every  member  tliinking  himself  obliged  to  make 
two  or  three  speeches,  not  for  the  good  of  the  nation,  but  for  the  benefit 
of  his  constituents.  These  speeches  are  printed  and  sent  to  them,  to 
prove  that  their  member  makes  some  noise  in  the  house.  The  subject 
upon  which  he  speaks  is  of  little  consequence,  compared  to  the  senti- 
ments expressed.  It  must  be  full  of  eagles,  star-spangled  banners,  sove- 
reign people,  clap-trap,  flattery,  and  humbug.  I  have  said  that  very  little 
business  is  done  m  these  houses  ;  but  this  is  caused  not  only  by  their  long- 
winded  sppdches  about  nothing,  but  by  the  fact  that  both  parties  (in  this 
respect  laudably  following  the  example  of  the  old  country)  are  chiefly  oc- 
cupied, the  0(ie  with  the  paramount  and  vital  consideration  of  keeping  in, 
and  the  other  with  that  of  getting  in, — thus  allowing  the  business  of  the 
nation,  (which  after  all  is  not  very  important,  unless  such  a  trump  as  the 
Treasury  Bill  turns  up,)  to  become  a  very  secondary  consideration. 

And  yet  there  are  principle  and  patriotism  among  the  members  of  the 
legislature,  and  the  more  to  be  appreciated  from  their  rarity.  Like  the 
seeds  of  beautiful  flowers,  which,  when  cast  upon  a  manure-heap,  spring 
up  in  greater  luxuriance  and  beauty,  and  yield  a  sweeter  perfume  from 
the  rankness  which  surrounds  them,  so  do  these  virtues  show  with  more 
grace  and  attractiveness  from  the  hot-bed  of  corruption  in  which  they 
nave  been  engendered.  But  there  has  been  a  sad  falling-off  in  America 
since  the  last  war,  which  brought  in  the  democratic  party  with  General 
Jackson.  America,  if  she  would  wish  her  present  institutions  to  continue, 
must  avoid  war ;  the  best  security  for  her  present  form  of  government 
existing  another  half  century,  is  i-  state  of  tranquillity  and  peace  ;  but  of 
that  hereafter.  As  for  the  party  at  present  in  power,  all  I  can  say  in  its 
favour  is,  that  there  are  three  clever  gentlemen  in  it — Mr.  Van  Buren, 
Mr.  Poinsett,  and  Mr.  Forsyth.  There  may  be  more,  but  I  know  so  lit- 
tle of  them,  that  I  must  be  excused  if  I  do  not  name  them,  which  other- 
wise I  should  have  had  great  pleasure  in  doing. 

Mr.  Van  Buren  is  a  very  gentleman-like,  intelligent  man  ;  very  proud 
of  talking  over  his  visit  to  England,  and  the  English  with  whom  he  was 
acquainted.  It  is  remarkable,  that  although  at  the  head  of  the  democra- 
tic party,  Mr.  Van  Buren  has  taken  a  step  striking  at  the  very  roots  of 
their  boasted  equality,  and  one  on  which  (General  Jackson  did  not  ven- 
ture— i.  e.  he  has  prevented  the  mobocracy  from  intruding  themselves  at 
his  levees.  The  police  are  now  stationed  at  the  door,  to  prevent  the  in- 
trusion of  any  improper  person.  A  few  years  ago,  a  fellow  would  drive 
his  cart,  or  hackney  coach,  up  to  the  door ;  walk  into  the  saloon  in  all  his 


DURY    !N   AUKRIOA. 


91 


nners,  sove- 


ice ;  but  of 


dirt,  and  force  hia  way  to  the  prenident,  that  he  might  shake  him  by  the 
ono  hiind,  whilst  he  flourished  liis  whip  in  the  other.  The  revolting 
scones  which  took  place  when  refreshments  were  handed  round,  the  in- 
jury done  to  the  furniture,  and  the  disgust  of  the  ladies,  may  be  well 
imagined.  Mr.  Van  Buren  deserves  great  credit  for  this  step,  for  it  was 
ii  bold  one  ;  but  I  must  not  praise  him  too  much,  or  he  may  lose  his  next 
election. 

Till  best  lounge  at  Washington  is  the  library  of  the  Capitol,  but  the 
books  are  certainly  not  very  well  treated.  I  saw  a  copy  of  Audubon's 
Ornithology,  and  many  other  valuable  works,  in  a  very  dilapidated  state ; 
but  this  must  bo  the  case  when  the  library  is  opened  to  all,  and  there  are 
80  many  juvenile  visiters.  Still  it  is  much  better  than  locking  it  up,  for 
only  the  bindings  to  be  looked  at.  It  is  not  a  library  for  show,  but  for 
use,  and  is  a  great  comfort  and  amusement. 

There  are  three  things  in  great  request  amongst  Americans,  of  all 
classes, — male,  I  mean, — to  wit,  oysters,  spirits,  and  tobacco.  The  first 
and  third  are  not  prohibited  by  Act  of  Congress,  and  may  be  sold  in  the 
Capitol,  but  spiritous  liquors  may  not.  f  wondered  how  the  members 
could  get  on  without  them,  but  upon  this  point  I  was  soon  enlightened. 
Below  the  basement  of  the  building  is  an  oyster-shop  and  refectory.  The 
refectory  has  been  permitted  by  congress  upon  the  express  stipulation 
that  no  spiritous  liquors  should  be  sold  there,  hut  law-makers  are  too 
often  law-breakers  all  over  the  world.  You  go  there  and  ask  for  pale 
sherry,  and  they  hand  you  gin ;  brown  sherry,  and  it  is  brandy  ;  madeira, 
whiskey ;  and  thus  do  these  potent,  grave,  and  reverend  signors  evade 
their  own  laws,  beneath  the  very  hall  wherein  they  were  passed  in  so- 
lemn conclave. 

It  appears  that  tobacco  is  considered  very  properly  as  an  article  of 
fashion.  At  a  store,  close  to  the  hotel,  the  board  outside  informs  you 
that  among  fashionable  requisites  to  be  found  there,  arc  gentlemen's 
shirts,  collars,  gloves,  silk  handkerchiefs,  and  the  best  chewing-tobacco. 
But  not  only  at  Washington,  but  at  other  large  towns,  I  have  seen  at 
silk-mercers  and  hosiers  this  notice  stuck  up  in  the  window — "  Dulcissi' 
mus  chewing- tobacco." — So  prevalent  is  the  habit  of  chewing,  and  so 
little,  from  long  custom,  do  the  ladies  care  about  it,  that  I  have  been  told 
that  many  young  ladies  in  the  South  carry,  in  their  work-boxes,  ckc,  pig- 
tail, nicely  ornamented  with  gold  and  coloured  papers ;  and  when  their 
swains  are  at  fault,  administer  to  their  wants,  thus  meriting  their  affec- 
tions by  such  endearing  solicitude. 

I  was  rather  amused  in  the  Senate  at  hearing  the  claims  of  parties  who 
had  suffered  during  the  last  war,  and  had  hitherto  not  received  any  re- 
dress, discussed  for  adjudication.  One  man's  claim,  for  instance,  was 
for  a  cow,  value  thirty  dollars,  eaten  up,  of  course,  by  the  Britishers.  It 
would  naturally  be  supposed  that  such  claims  were  unworthy  the  atten- 
tion of  such  a  body  as  the  Senate,  or,  when  brought  forward,  would  have 
been  allowed  without  comment :  but  it  was  not  so.  The  member  who 
saves  the  public  money  always  finds  ^favour  in  the  eyes  of  the  people, 
and  therefore  every  member  tries  to  save  as  much  as  he  can,  except 
when  he  is  himself  a  party  concerned.  And  there  was  as  much  arguing 
and  objecting,  and  discussion  of  the  merits  of  this  man's  claim,  as  there 
would  be  in  the  English  House  of  Commons  at  passing  the  Navy  Esti- 
mates. Eventually  he  lost  it.  The  claims  of  the  Fulton  family  weie 
also  brought  forward,  when  I  was  present  in  the  House  of  Representa-. 
tives.  Fulton  was  certainly  the  father  of  steam-navigation  in  America, 
and  to  his  exertions  and  intelligence  America  may  consider  herself  in  a 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


1.1 


11.25 


1^121    125 
£?   1^    12.0 


FhotograiM: 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MSM 

(716)  S72-4503 


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it 


DUBT  IN  AMBRtCA. 


great  degree  indebted  for  her  present  prosperity.  It  once  required  six 
or  seven  months  to  ascend  the  Mississippi,  a  passage  which  is  now  per* 
formed  in  fifteen  days.  Had  it  not  been  for  Fulton's  genius,  the  West 
would  still  have  remained  a  wild  desert,  and  the  now  flourishipg  cotton- 
growing  states,  would  not  yet  have  yielded  the  crops  which  are  the  sta- 
ple of  the  Union.  The  claim  of  his  surviving  relatives  was  a  mere  no- 
thing, in  comparison  with  the  debt  of  gratitude  owing  to  that  great  man : 
yet  member  after  member  rose  to  oppose  it  with  all  the  ingenuity  of 
argument.  One  asserted  that  the  merit  of  the  invention  did  not  belong 
to  Fuiton ;  another,  that  even  if  it  did,  his  relatives  certainly  could  found 
no  claim  upon  it ;  a  third  rose  and  declared  that  he  would  prove  that,  so 
far  from  the  government  owing  money  to  Fulton,  Fulton  was  in  debt  to 
the  government.  And  thus  did  they  go  on,  showing  to  their  constituents 
how  great  was  their  consideration  for  the  public  money,  and  to  the  world 
(if  another  proof  were  required)  how  little  gratitude  is  to  be  found  in  a 
democracy.  The  bill  was  thrown  out,  and  the  race  of  Fultons  left  to 
the  chance  of  starving,  for  anything  that  the  American  nation  seemed  to 
care  to  the  contrary.  Whitney,  the  inventor  of  the  gin  for  clearing  the 
cotton  of  its  seeds  (perhaps  the  next  greatest  boon  ever  given  to  Ame- 
rica), was  treated  in  the  same  way.  And  yet,  on  talking  over  the  ques- 
tion, there  were  few  of  the  members  who  did  not  individually  acknowledge 
the  justice  of  their  claims,  and  the  duty  of  the  state  to  attend  to  them : 
but  the  majority  would  not  have  permitted  it,  and  when  they  went  back 
to  their  constituents  to  be  re-elected,  it  would  have  been  urged  against 
them  that  they  had  voted  away  the  public  money,  and  they  would  have 
had  the  difficult  task  of  proving  that  the  interests  of  the  majority ^  and  of 
the  majority  alone,  had  regulated  their  conduct  in  Congress. 

There  was  one  event  of  exciting  interest  which  occurred  during  my 
short  stay  at  Washington,  and  which  engrossed  the  mind  of  every  indi- 
vidual :  the  fatal  duel  between  Mr.  Graves  and  Mr.  Cilley.  Not  only 
the  duel  itself,  but  what  took  place  after  it,  was  to  me,  as  a  stranger,  a 
subject  for  grave  reflection. 

ISTotice  of  Mr.  Cilley's  decease  having  been  formally  given  to  the 
House,  it  adjourned  for  a  day  or  two,  as  a  mark  of  respect,  and  a  day 
was  appointed  for  the  funeral. 

The  coffin  containing  the  body  was  brought  into  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, and  there  lay  in  state,  as  it  were.  The  members  nf  Senate 
and  the  Supreme  Court  were  summoned  to  attend,  whilst  an  eulogium 
was  passed  on  the  merits  and  virtues  of  the  deceased  by  the  surviving 
representative  of  the  state  of  Maine  :  the  funeral  sermon  was  delivered 
by  one  clergyman,  and  an  exhortation  by  another,  after  which  the  coffin 
was  carried  out  to  be  placed  in  the  hearse.  The  following  printed  order 
of  the  procession  was  distributed,  that  it  might  be  rigidly  attended  to  by 
the  members  of  the  two  Houses  and  the  Supreme  Court : — 

Order  of  Arrangements 
for  the  Funeral  of 

'  The  Hon.  JONATHAN  CILLEY, 

Late  a  Representative  in  Congress,  from  the  State  of  Maine. 

The  Committee  of  Arrangement,  Pall-bearers,  and  Mourners,  will  at- 
tend at  the  late  residence  of  the  deceased,  at  Mr.  Birth's,  in  Third-street, 
at  11  o'clock  A.  H.,  Tuesday,  February  27th  ;  at  which  time  the  remains 
will  be  removed,  in  charge  of  the  Committee  of  Arrangements,  attended 
by  the  Sergeant-at-arms  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  to  the  hall  of 
the  House. 


BURY  IN  AMBItlOA; 


18 


a  stranger,  a 


Campbell,  of  S.  C 
White,  of  Indiana. 
Martin,  of  Ala. 


At  12  o'clock,  meridian,  funeral  service  will  be  performed  in  the  hall  of 
the  House  of  Representatives,  and  immediately  after  the  procession  will 
move  to  the  place  of  interment,  in  the  following  order  :— 
The  Chaplains  of  both  Houses. 
Committee  of  Arrangement,  viz. 
Mr.  Evans,  of  Maine. 
Mr.  Atherton,  of  N.  H.  Mr.  Coles,  of  Va. 

Mr.  Conner,  of  N.  C.  Mr.  Johnson,  of  La. 

Mr.  Whittlesey,  of  Ohio,  Mr.  Fillmore,  of  N.  Y.    • 

Pall-bearers,  viz. : 
*      Mr.  Thomas,  of  Maryland.  Mr. 

Mr.  Williams,  of  N.  H.  Mr, 

Mr.  Ogle,  of  Pennsylvania.  Mr. 

The  Family  and  Friends  of  the  deceased. 

The  Members  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  Senators  from    ' 

Maine,  as  Mourners. 

The  Serjeant-at-Arms  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 

The  House  of  Representatives,  preceded  by  their 

Speaker  and  Clerk.  -, 

The  Serjeant-at-Arms  of  the'  Senate. 
The  Senate  of  the  United  States,  preceded  by  the 
Vice  President  and  their  Secretary. 
The  President  of  the  United  States. 
The  Heads  of  Departments. 
Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  its  Officers. 
Foreign  Ministers. 
Citizens  and  Strangers. 
February,  26th,  18S8. 
The  burial-ground  being  at  some  distance,  carriages  were  provided 
for  the  whole  of  the  company,  and  the  procession  even  then  was  more 
than  half  a  mile  long.     I  walked  there  to  witness  the  whole  proceeding ; 
but  when  the  body  had  been  deposited  in  the  vault,  I  found,  on  my  re- 
turn, a  vacant  seat  in  one  of  the  carriages,  in  which  were  two  Americans, 
who  went  under  the  head  of  "  Citizens."     They  were  very  much  in- 
clined to  be  communicative.     One  of  them  observed  of  the  clergyman, 
who,  in  his  exhortation,  had  expressed  himself  very  forcibly  against  the 
practice  of  duelling  : — 

"  Well,  I  reckon  that  chaplain  won't  be  'lected  next  year,  and  sarve 
him  right  too ;  he  did  pitch  it  in  rather  too  strong  for  the  members ;  that 
last  flourish  of  his  was  enough  to  raise  all  their  danders.'* 

To  the  other,  who  was  a  more  staid  sort  of  personage,  I  pub  the  ques- 
tion, how  long  did  he  think  this  tragical  event,  and  the  severe  observa- 
tions on  duellmg,  would  stop  the  practice. 

"  Well,  I  reckon  three  days,  or  thereabouts,"  replied  the  man. 
I  am  afraid  that  the  man  is  not  far  out  in  his  calculation.  Virginia, 
Missisippi,  Louisiana,  and  now  Congress,  as  respects  the  district  of  Co- 
lumbia, in  which  Washington  is  built,  have  all  passed  severe  laws  against 
the  practice  r,f  duelling,  which  is  universal ;  but  they  are  no  more  than 
dead  letters.  The  spirit  of  their  institutions  is  adverse  to  such  laws ;  and 
duelling  always  has  been,  and  always  will  be,  one  of  the  evils  of  demo- 
cracy. I  have,  I  believe,  before  observed,  that  in  many  points  a  young 
nation  is,  in  all  its  faults,  very  likely  to  a  young  individual ;  and  this  is  ono 
in  which  the  comparison  holds  good.  But  there  are  other  cases  for, 
and  other  incentives  to  this  practice,  besides  the  false  idea  that  it  is  a 


94 


OURY  IN  AMBltCA. 


proof  of  courage.  Slander  and  detraction  are  the  inseparable  evils  of  a 
democracy  ;  and  as  neither  public  nor  private  characters  are  spared,  and 
the  law  is  impotent  to  protect  them,  men  have  no  other  resource  than  to 
defend  their  reputations  with  their  lives,  or  to  deter  the  defamer  by  the 
risk  which  he  must  incur. 

And  where  political  animosities  are  carried  to  such  a  length  as  they 
are  in  this  exciting  climate,  there  is  no  time  given  for  coolness  and  re- 
flection. Indeed,  for  one  American  who  would  attempt  to  prevent  a 
duel,  there  are  ten  who  Tvould  urge  the  parties  on  to  the  conflict.  I 
recollect  a  gentleman  introducing  me  to  the  son  of  another  gentleman 
who  was  present.  The  lad,  who  was  about  fourteen,  I  should  think, 
shortly  after  left  the  room ;  and  then  the  gentleman  told  me,  before  the 
boy's  father,  that  the  lad  was  one  of  the  right  sort,  having  already  fought, 
and  wounded  his  man  ;  and  the  father  smiled  complacently  at  this  tribute 
to  the  character  of  his  son.  The  majority  of  the  editors  of  the  newspa- 
pers in  America  are  constantly  practising  with  the  pistol,  that  they  may 
be  ready  when  called  upon,  and  are  most  of  them  very  good  shots.  In 
fact,  they  could  not  well  refuse  to  fight^  being  all  of  them  colonels, 
majors, ,  or  generals — '<  tarn  Marte  quam  Mercurio."  But  the  worst 
feature  in  the  American  system  of  duelling  is,  that  they  do  not  go  out,  as 
we  do  in  this  country,  to  satisfy  honour,  but  with  the  determination  to 
kill.  Independently  of  general  practice,  immiidiately  after  a  challenge 
has  been  given  and  received,  each  party  practices  as  much  as  he  can. 

And  now  let  us  examine  into  the  particulars  of  this  duel  between  Mr. 
Graves  and  Mr.  Cilley.  It  was  well  known  that  Mr;  Graves  had  hardly 
ever  fired  a  rifle  in  his  life.  Mr.  Cilley,  on  the  contrary,  was  an  excel- 
lent rifle-shot,  constantly  in  practice  ;  it  was  well  known,  also,  that  he  in- 
tended to  fix  a  quarrel  Tipon  one  of  the  southeril  members,  as  he  had 
pubUcIy  said  he  would.  He  brought  his  rifle  down  to  Washington  with 
him ;  he  practised  with  it  almost  every  day,  and  more  regularly  so  after 
he  had  sent  the  challenge,  and  it  had  been  accepted.  It  so  happened 
that,  contrary  to  the  expectations  of  all  parties,  Mr.  Cilley  instead  of  Mi. 
Graves,  was  the  party  who  fell ;  but  surely,  if  ever  there  was  a  man  who 
premeditated  murder,  it  was  Mr.  Cilley.  I  state  this,  not  with  the  wish  to 
assail  Mr.  Cilley's  character,  as  I  believe  that  almost  any  other  American 
would  have  done  the  same  thing  ;  for  whatever  license  society  will  give, 
that  will  every  man  take,  and  moreover,  from  habit,  will  not  consider  it 
as  wrong. 

But  my  reason  for  pomting  out  all  this  is  to  show  that  society  must  be 
in  a  very  loose  state,  and  the  standard  of  morality  must  be  indeed  low  in 
a  nation,  when  a  man  who  has  fallen  in  such  a  manner,  a  man  who,  had 
he  killed  Mr.  Graves,  would,  according  to  the  laws  of  our  country,  have 
been  condemned  and  executed  for  murder,  (inasmuch  as,  from  his  prac- 
tising after  the  challenge  was  given,  it  would  have  proved  malice  pre- 
pense, on  his  part)  should  now,  because  he  falls  in  the  attempt,  have 
honours  paid  to  his  remains,  much  greater  than  we  paid  to  those  of  Nelson, 
when  he  fell  so  nobly  in  his  country's  cause.  The  chief  magistrate  of 
England,  which  is  the  king,  did  not  follow  Nelson  to  the  grave  ;  while 
the  chief  magistrate  of  the  United  States  (attended  by  the  Supreme 
Court  and  judges,  the  Senate,  the  Representatives)  does  honour  to  the 
remains  of  one  who,  if  Providence  had  not  checked  him  in  his  careeri 
would  have  been  considered  as  a  cold-blooded  murderer. 

And  yet  the  Americans  are  continually  dinning  into  my  ears — Captain 
Marryat,  we  are  a  very  moral  people  !  Again,  I  repeat,  the  Americans 
Are  the  happiest  people  in  the  world  in  their  own  delusions.    If  they 


OAIHT  IN  AMERIOI. 


99 


wish  to  be  a  moral  people,  the  goTernmont  must  show  them  some  better 
example  than  that  of  paying  those  honours  to  vice  and  immorality  which 
are  only  due  to  honour  and  to  virtue. 

Legislation  on  duelling. ^-The  legislature  of  Mississippi  has  prohibited 
duelling,  and  the  parties  implicated,  in  any  instance,  are  declared  to  be 
ineligible  to  office.  The  act  also  imposes  a  fine  of  not  less  than  three 
hundred  dollars,  and  not  more  than  one  thousand,  and  an  imprisonment 
of  not  less  than  six  months  ;  and  in  case  of  the  death  of  one  of  the  pat" 
ties,  the  survivor  is  to  be  held  chargeable  with  the  payment  of  the  debts 
of  his  antagonist.  The  estate  of  the  party  who  falls  in  the  combat  is  to 
be  exonerated  from  such  debts  until  the  surviving  party  be  first  prosecuted 
to  insolvency.  The  seconds  are  made  subject  to  incapacity  to  hold  office, 
fine,  and  imprisonment. 

Anti-Duetxino  Bill. 

The  bill,  as  it  passed  the  senate,  is  in  the  following  words : — 
;    A  Bill  to  prohibit  the  giving  or  accepting,  within  the  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, of  a  Challenge  to  fight  a  Duel,  and  for  the  punishment 
thereof. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  in  Congress  assembled.  That  if  any  person 
shall,  in  the  district  of  Columbia,  challenge  another  to  fight  a  duel,  or 
shall  send  or  deliver  any  v/ritten  or  verbal  message  purporting  or  intend' 
ing  to  be  such  challenge,  or  shall  accept  any  such  challenge  ct  message, 
or  shall  knowingly  carry  or  deliver  an  acceptance  of  such  challenge  or 
message  to  fight  a  duel  in,  or  out  of  said  district,  and  such  duel  shall  be 
fought  in  or  out  of  said  district ;  and  if  either  of  the  parties  thereto  shall 
be  slain  or  mortally  wounded  in  such  a  duel,  the  surviving  party  to  such 
duel,  and  every  person  carrying  or  delivering  such  challenge  or  mes' 
sage,  or  acceptance  of  such  challenge  or  message  as  aforesaid,  and  all 
others  aiding  and  abetting  therein,  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  felony,  and 
upon  conviction  thereof,  in  any  court  competent  to  the  trial  thereof,  in 
the  said  district,  shall  be  punished  by  imprisonment  and  confinement  to 
haifd  labour  in  the  penitentiary  for  a  term  not  exceeding  ten  years,  nor 
less  than  five  years,  in  the  discretion  of  the  court. 

Sec.  2.  And  be  it  farther  enacted.  That  it  any  person  shall  give  or 
send,  or  cause  to  be  given  or  sent,  to  any  person  in  the  district  of  Co' 
lumbia,  any  challenge  to  fight  a  duel,  or  to  engage  in  single  combat  with 
any  deadly  or  dangerous  instrument  or  weapon  whatever,  or  shall  be  the 
bearer  of  any  such  challenge,  every  person  so  giving  or  sending,  or  caua- 
itig  to  be  given  or  sent,  or  accepting  such  challenge,  or  being  the  bearer 
thereof,  and  every  person  aiding  or  abetting  in  the  giving,  sending,  or  ac- 
cepting such  challenge,  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  high  crime  and  mis- 
demeanor,  and  on  conviction  thereof  in  any  court  competent  to  try  the 
same,  in  the  said  district,  shall  be  punished  by  imprisonment  and  con- 
finement to  hard  labour  in  the  penitentiary,  for  a  term  not  exceeding  ten 
years,  nor  less  than  five  years,  in  the  discretion  of  the  court. 

Sec.  3.  And  be  it  farther  enacted.  That  if  any  person  shall  assault, 
strike,  beat,  or  wound,  or  cause  to  be  assaulted,  stricken,  beaten,  or 
wounded,  any  person  in  the  district  of  Columbia  for  declining  or  refusing 
to  accept  any  challenge  to  fight  a  duel,  or  to  engage  in  single  combat 
with  any  deadly  or  dangerous  instrument  or  weapon  whatever,  or  shall 
post  or  publish,  or  cause  to  be  posted  or  published,  any  writing  charging 
any  such  person  so  declining  or  refusing  to  accept  any  such  challenge  to 


86 


DUKT  IN  AHIRICA. 


# 


be  &  coward,  or  using  any  other  opprobrious  or  injurious  language  there* 
in,  tending  to  deride  and  disgrace  such  person,  for  so  oifending,  on  con* 
viction  thereof  in  any  court  competent  to  the  trial  thereof,  in  said  district, 
shall  be  punished  by  confinement  to  hard  labour  in  the  penitentiary  for  a 
term  not  exceeding  seven  years,  nor  less  than  three  years  in  the  discre- 
tion of  the  court. 

Sec.  4.  And  be  it  farther  enacted,  that  in  addition  to  the  oath,  now  to 
be  prescribed  by  law,  to  be  administered  to  the  grand  jury  in  the  district 
of  Columbia,  they  shall  be  sworn  faithfully  and  impartially  to  inquire  into, 
and  true  presentment  make  of,  all  offences  against  this  act. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

I  HATE  been  for  some  time  journeying  through  the  province  of  Upper 
Canada,  and,  on  the  whole,  I  consider  it  the  finest  portion  of  all  North 
America.  In  America  every  degree  of  longitude,  when  you  proceed 
west,  is  equal  to  a  degree  of  latitude  to  the  southward  in  increasing  the 
mildness  of  the  temperature.  Upper  Canada,  which  is  not  so  far  west 
as  to  sever  you  from  the  civilized  world,  has  every  possible  advantage  of 
navigation,  and  i»  at  the  same  time,  from  being  nearly  sunounded  by 
water,  much  milder  than  the  American  states  to  the  southward  of  it. 
Everything  grows  well  and  flourishes  in  Upper  Canada ;  ev^n  tobacco, 
which  requires  a  very  warm  atmosphere.  The  land  of  this  province  is 
excellent,  but  it  is  a  hard  land  to  clear,  the  timber  being  very  close  and 
of  a  verjr  large  size.  A  certain  proof  of  the  value  of  the  land  of  Upper 
Canada  is,  that  there  are  already  so  many  Americans  who  have  settled 
there.  Most  of  them  had  originally  migrated  *to  establish  themselves  in 
the  neighbouring  state  of  Michigan  ;  but  the  greater  part  of  that  state  is 
at  present  so  unhealthy  from  swamps,  and  tne  people  suffer  so  much 
from  fever  and  agues,  that  the  emigrants  have  fallen  back  upon  Upper 
Canada,  which  (a  very  small  portion  of  it  excepted)  is  the  most  healthy 
portion  of  North  America.  I  have  before  observed  that  the  Rideau  and 
Welland  canals,  splendid  works  as  they  are,  are  too  much  in  advance  of 
the  country ;  and  had  the  government  spent  one-half  the  money  in  open- 
ing communications  and  making  good  roads,  the  province  would  have 
been  much  more  benefited.  In  the  United  States  you  have  a  singular 
proof  of  the  advantages  of  communications ;  in  the  old  continent,  towns 
and  villages  rise  up  first,  and  the  communications  are  made  afterwards ; 
in  |the  United  States,  the  roads  are  made  first,  and  when  made,  towns 
and  village  make  their  appearance  on  each  side  of  them,  just  as  the  birds 
drop  down  for  their  ailment  upon  the  fresh  furrows  made  across  the  fal- 
low by  the  plough. 

From  Hamilton,  on  Lake  Ontario,  to  Bradford,  the  country  is  very 
beautifully  broken  and  undulating,  occasionally  precipitate  and  hilly.  You 
pass  through  forests  of  splendid  timber,  chiefly  fir,  but  of  a  size  whioh  is 
surprising.  Here  are  masts  for  "  tall  admirals,"  so  lofty  that  you  could 
not  well  perceive  a  squirrel,  or  even  a  large  animal,  if  upon  one  of  the 
topmost  boughs.  The  pine  forests  are  diversified  by  the  oak ;  you  some- 
times pass  through  six  or  seven  miles  of  the  first  description  of  timber, 
which  gradually  changes  until  you  have  six  or  seven  miles  of  forest  com- 
posed entirely  of  oak.  The  road  is  repairing  and  levelling,  preparatory 
to  its  being  macadamized — certainly  not  before  it  was  required,  for  it  is  at 
present  execrable  throughout  the  whole  province.  Every  mile  or  so  you 
descend  into  a  hollow,  at  the  bottom  of  which  is  what  they  term  a  mud 
hole,  that  is,  a  certain  quantity  of  water  and  mud,  which  is  of  a  depth  un- 


DIAnV  IN  AMERICA* 


97 


known,  bat  wliich  you  must  (ktliom  by  paxsing  through  it  To  ^ive  an 
Englishman  an  idea  of  the  roads  'n  not  «a!<y;  I  can  only  that  it  u  very 
possible  (or  a  horse  to  be  drowned  in  mm  of  the  ruts,  uud  for  a  pair  of 
them  to  disappear,  wuggnn  and  all,  in  a  niiul  lutle. 

At  Bradford,  on  Grand  River,  are  located  some  remnants  of  the  Mo» 
hawic  tribe  of  Indians;  they  are  more  tli.m  denii-civihzed ;  they  till  their 
farms,  and  have  plenty  of  horses  and  cattle.  A  smart  looking  Indian 
drove  into  town,  whtfn  I  was  there,  in  a  waggun  with  a  pair  of  gooA 
horses;  in  tlie  vvagguu  were  some  daughters  of  one  of  theii  chiefs;  they 
were  very  ricidy  dressed  alter  ^heir  own  faihion,  tlieir  petticoats  and  leg- 
gings beiii<^  worked  with  beads  to  tiie  iieiglit  of  two  feet  from  thebottom> 
und  in  very  good  taste ;  and  they  wore  beaver  hats  and  feathers  of  a  pat- 
tern which  used  formerly  to  be  much  in  vogue  with  the  ladies  of  the 
seamen  at  Plytnouth  and  Portsmouth. 

From  Bradford  to  London  the  roads  are  comparatieeiy  good;  the 
country  rises,  and  the  plain  is  nearly  one  hundred  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  river  Thames,  a  beautifully  wide  stream,  whose  two  branches  join 
at  the  site  of  thi.4  town.  The  land  here  is  considered  to  be  the  finest  in 
the  whole  province,  and  the  cotnitry  the  most  healthy. 

From  London  to  Chatham  the  roads  are  really  atrftd.  I  had  the  plea- 
sure of  tumbling  over  head  and  ears  into  a  mud  hole,  at  about  twelve 
o'clock  at  night;  the  horses  were  with  difticiilty  saved,  and  the  waggon 
remtiined  Jixe4  for  upwards  of  three  hours,during  which  we  laboured  hard, 
and  were  refreshed  with  plenty  Jul  showers  of  rain. 

Chaitham,  on  the  river  Thames,  is  at  pre.'ient  a  sad  dirty  hole;  but,  tm 
the  country  rises,  will  be  a  place  of  great  importance.  From  Chatham 
I  embarked  in  the  steatn-boat,  and  went  down  the  Thames  into  Lake  St. 
Ciiiir,  and  from  thence  to  Sandwitch,  having  past  through  the  finest  conn* 
try,  the  most  beautiful  land,  and  about  the  most  ini'amous  roads  that  are 
to  be  met  with  in  all  America. 

Within  these  last  seven  or  eight  years  the  lakes  have  risen;  many  hy- 
pothesis have  been  offered  to  account  for  this  change.  I  do  not  coincide 
with  any  of  the  opinions  which  I  have  heard,  yet,  at  tlte  same  time,  it  ig 
but  fair  to  acknowledge  tiiat  1  can  offer  none  of  my  own.  It  is  quite  a 
mystery.  The  con.sequence  of  thi«  rising  of  the  waters  is,  that  some  of 
the  finest  farms  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Tliainesandou  Lake  St.  Clair, 
occupied  by  the  old  Canadian  settlers,  are,  and  have  been  for  two  or  three 
years  under  water.  These  Canadians  have  not  removed ;  they  are 
waiting  for  the  water  to  subside ;  tiieir  houses  stand  in  the  lake,  the  base- 
ments being  under  water,  and  they  occupy  the  first  floors  with  their  fami- 
iies,  communicating  by  boats.  As  they  cannot  cultivate  their  land,  they 
shoot  and  fish.  Several  miles  on  each  side  of  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Thames  the  water  is  studed  with  these  houses,  which  have,  as  ma^  be 
supposed,  a  very  forlorn  appearance,  espescially  as  the  top  rail  of 
the  fences  is  generally  above  water,  markmg  out  tlie  fields  which  are 
now  tenanted  by  fish  instead  of  cattle. 

Went  out  with  a  narty  into  tlie  bn,«h,  as  it  is  termed,  to  see  some  land 
which  had  been  purchased.  Part  of  the  road  was  up  to  the  saddle-flap* 
under  water,  from  the  rise  of  the  Idkes.  We  soon  entered  the  woods, 
no^  so  thickly  growing  but  that  our  horses  could  pass  through  them,  had 
it  not  been  for  the  obstacles  below  our  feet.  At  every  ttiird  step  a  tre« 
lay  across  the  path,  forming,  by  its  obstruction  to  the  drainage,  a  pool  of 
water;  but  tlve  Canadian  horses  are  so  accustomed  to  this  that  they  very 
coolly  walked  over  them,  although  some  were  two  feet  in  diameter, 
litey  never  attempted  to  jump,  but  deliberately  put  one  foot  over  and 


96 


DURY  IN  AMKRIOA. 


the  other — with  equal  dexterity  avoiding  the  stumps  aud  sunken  \og» 
concealed  under  water.  An  English  borra  would  have  been  foundered 
before  he  had  proceeded  filly  yards.  Sometimes  we  would  be  for  miles 
wading  through  swamps;  at  others  the  land  rotte,  and  then  it  was  clear 
and  dry,  and  we  could  gaJlop  under  the  ouk  trees. 

We  continued  till  noon  bel'ore  we  could  arrive  at  the  land  in  question, 
forcing  our  way  through  the  woods,  and  iiuided  by  the  blazing  of  the 
trees.  Blazing  is  cutting  off  a  portion  of  the  bark  of  the  trees  on  both 
sides  of  the  road  with  an  uxe,  and  these  marks,  which  will  remain  for 
many  years,  serve  as  a  guide.  If  lost  in  the  woods,  you  have  but  to  look 
out  for  a  blaze,  and  by  following  it  you  are  certain  to  arrive  at  some  in- 
habited place.  We  found  the  land  at  last,  which  was  high,  dry,  ami 
covered  with  large  oak  trees.    A  herd  of  deer  bounded  past  us  as  we  o])- 

S reached  the  river,  which  ran  through  it ;  and  we  could  perceive  the 
ocks  of  wild  turkies  at  a  distance,  running  almost  as  fast  as  the  deer. 
The  river  was  choked  by  trees  which  had  (alien  across  its  bed,  damm- 
inir  up  its  stream,  and  spreading  it  over  the  land ;  but  the  scene  was 
very  beautiful  and  wild,  and  I  conld  not  help  fancying  what  a  pretty  spot 
it  would  one  day  be,  when  it  should  be  cleared,  and  farm-houaes  built  on 
the  banks  of  the  river.  ' 

On  our  way  we  called  upon  a  man  who  had  been  in  the  bush  but  a 
year  or  so ;  he  had  u  wife  and  six  children.  He  was  young  and  healthy, 
and  alUiough  he  had  been  used  to  a  life  of  literary  idleness,  he  had  made 
np  his  mind  to  the  change,  and  taken  up  the  -axe — a  thing  very  few  peo- 
ple can  do.  1  never  saw  a  person  apparently  more  cheerful  and  con- 
tented. He  had  already  cleared  away  about  tiileen  acres,  and  had  pro- 
cured a  summer  crop  from  off  a  portion  of  it  the  year  before,  iiaving  no 
otiier  assistance  than  his  two  boys,  one  thirteen  and  the  other  fourteen 
Tears  old,  healthy,  but  not  powerfully  built  luds.  When  we  called  upon 
him,  he  wus  busied  in  burning  the  felled  timber,  and  planting  Indian 
corn.  One  of  hiii  boys  w»»  fcncing-in  the  ground.  I  went  with  the  man 
into  his  log-but,  which  was  large  and  convenient,  and  found  his  wife 
working  nt  her  needle,  and  three  little  girls  all  as  busy  as  bees ;  the  eldest 
of  these  girls  was  not  twelve  years  old,  yet  she  cooked,  baked,  washed, 
and,  witli  the  assistance  of  her  two  little  sisters,  did  all  that  was  required 
for  the  household.  Alter  n  short  repose,  we  went  out  again  into  the 
clearing,  wlien  one  of  iriy  friends  asked  him  how  ho  got  on  with  his  axe? 
"  Pretty  woll,"  replied  lie,  liiiigl.ing ;  "  I II  sliow  you."  He  led  us  to 
where  a  biitlon-wood  twe  vv.is  lying;  the  trunk  wus  at  least  ninety  feet 
long,  and  the  diumeter  wi:ere  it  hud  been  cut  tluough  between  five  and 
six  I'eet;  it  was  an  enonuoua  tree.  ''  And  did  you  cut  that  down  your- 
self/" entjuirifd  my  conipiinion,  who  was  an  old  settler.  "Not  quite; 
but  1  cut  tinon<;h  the  nortli  hiilf  while  my  two  boys  cut  through  the  south ; 
we  did  ii  between  us."  This  was  really  astonishing,  for  if  these  two 
lads  coulil  cut  through  half  the  tree,  it  is  evident  that  they  could  have  cut 
it  down  alio'jotlicr.  We  had  here  a  proof  of  how  useful  children  can  be 
made  at  au  early  age. 

We  proiui.  ed  to  call  upon  him  on  our  return ;  which  we  did.  We 
found  him  siltiiiir  with  his  wife  in  his  log-house  ;  it  was  ttve  o'clock  in 
the  nf'ernoou ;  lie  told  us  "  work  was  over  now,  and  that  the'  children 
had  gone  into  the  hush  to  play."  They  had  all  worked  from  five  o'clock 
in  the  tnoniiu'.^,  and  had  since  learnt  their  lessons.  We  heard  tiieir 
laiiiiiiter  nngiii;;  in  tJ.e  woods  at  a  distance. 

ISow  this  i.s  rather  a  remarkable  instance  among  settlers,  as  I  shall 
hetcoiier  explain.    Hud  this  man  been  a  bachelor,  he  would  have  been. 


DIART  IN  AMERICA.  W 

ill  all  probability,  a  drunkard ;  but,  with  his  ikmily,  he  wati  a  hiinpy,  con- 
tented, and  thri\'ing  man.     We  parted  with  him,  iind  nrrived  ut  Windsor,  ' 
oppoflitv.  Detroit,  very  tired,  having  been,  with  little  exception,  fourteen 
houm  in  the  saddle. 

I  took  coUJ,  and  was  laid  up  with  a  fever.  I  mention  this',  not  as  any- 
thing interedtiiiff  to  the  reader,  but  merely  to  8how  what  voii  may  expect 
when  you  travel  in  these  countries.  I  had  been  in  bed  three  days,  when 
my  landlady  came  into  the  room.  "  Well,  captain,  how  4o  you  find 
yourself  by  this  time  7"  "  Oh,  I  am  a  little  better,  thank  you,"  replied  I. 
"  Well,  lam  glad  of  it,  becaiine  I  want  to  whitewash  your  room;  for  if 
the  coloured  man  stops  to  do  it  to-morrow,  lie'll  be  for  charging  us  an- 
other quarter  of  a  dollar."  "  But  I  am  not  able  to  leave  my  room." 
"  Well,  then,  Til  speak  to  him;  I  dare  say  he  won't  mind  your  being  in 
bed  while  he  whitewashes  " 

I  have  often  ret^rked  the  strange  eflfeots  of  intoxication,  and  the  diffe- 
rent manner  in  wmch  persons  are  atlected  with  liquor.  When  I  was  on 
the  road  from  London  to  Chatham,  a  mnn  who  was  very  much  intoxi- 
cated got  into  the  waggon,  and  sat  beside  me.  As  people  in  that  state 
generally  are,  he  was  excessively  familiar ;  and  although  jerked  off  witli 
no  smalldegree  of  violence,  would  continue,  until  we  arrived  at  the  inn 
wherp  we  were  to  sup,  to  attempt  to  lay  his  head  upon  my  shoulder. 

As  soon  as  we  arrived,  supper  was  announced.  At  first  he  refused  to 
take  any,  but  on  the  artful  landlady  tiavvling  in  his  ear,  that  all  gentlemen 
aupped  when  they  arrived,  he  hesitated  to  consider  (which  certainly  was 
not  at  all  necessary)  whether  he  was  not  bound  to  take  some.  Another 
vecy  important  remark  of  the  hostest,  which  was,  that  he  would  have 
no'iling  to  eat  until  the  next  morning,  it  being  then  eleven  o'clock  at 
night,  decided  him,  and  he  staggered  in,  observing,  "  Nothing  to  eat  till 
next  morning!  well,  I  never  thought  of  that."  He  sat  down  opposite  to 
nie,  at  the  same  table.  It  appeared  as  if  his  visiori  itas  interted  by  the 
quantity  of  liquor  which  he  had  taken ;  everythinjg  close  to  him  on  the 
table  he  considered  to  be  out  of  his  reach,  whilst  everything  at  a  distance 
he  attempted  to  lay  hold  of.  He  sat  up  as  erect  as  he  could,  balancing 
himself  so  as  not  to  appear  comedy  and  fixing  his  eves  upon  me,  said, 
"  Sir,  I'll  trouble  you — for  some  fried  ham."  Now  tl:e  ham  was  in  the 
dish  next  to  him,  and  altogether  out  of  my  reach ;  I  told  him  so.  "  Sir," 
said  he  again,  "  as  a  gentleman,  lask  you  to  give  me  some  of  that  fried 
ham."  Amused  with  the  curious  demand,  I  rose  from  my  chair,  went 
round  to  him  and  helped  him.  "  Shall  I  give  you  a  potatoe,"  said  I,  the 
potatoes  being  at  my  end  of  the  table,  and  I  not  wishin"  to  rise  again. 
"  No,  Sir,"  replied  he,  "  I  can  help  myself  to  them."  He  made  a  dash 
at  them, but  did  not  reach  them;  then  made  another,  and  another,  till  he 
lost  his  balance,  and  lay  down  upon  his  plate;  this  time  he  gained  the  po- 
tatoes, helped  himself,  and  commenced  eating.  After  a  few  minutes  he 
again  fixed  his  eyes  upon  me.  "  Sir,  I'll  trouble  you — for  the  pickles.'' 
They  were  actually  under  his  nose,  and  I  pointed  them  out  to  him.  "I 
believe,  Sir,  I  asked  you  for  the  pickles,"  repealed  he,  after  a  time. 
"Well,  there  they  are,"  replied  I,  wishing  to  see  what  he  would  do. 
"  Sir,  are  you  a  gentleman — as  a  gentleman — I  ask  you  as  a  gentleman, 
for  them  'ere  pickles."  It  was  impossible  to  resist  this  appeal,  so  I  rose 
and  helped  him.  I  was  now  convinced  that  his  vision  was  somehow  or 
another  inverted,  and  to  prove  it,  when  he  asked  me  for  the  salt,  which 
was  within  his  reach,  I  reii.ovod  it  farther  off.  "  Thank  ye,  Sir,"  said 
he,  sprawling  over  the  table  after  it.  The  circumstance,  absurd  as  it  wa?, 
VIM  reali^r  aeabject  for  the  investigation  of  Dr.  Brewster, 


1^ 


v^^uf,: 


»{ 


m 


DIA^ 


r  IN  AMERICA. 


At  WiiuUnr,  which  Ih  directly  opposite  to  Detroit,  where  the  river  M 
about  hail'  u  iiiilo  ticrcMs,  nre  Htorea  of  Kiijiilisli  goodii,  sent  there  (riititcly 
tor  the  BU|>piy  of  tiie  Aiiiericuiiti,  by  Hiiiiigglers.  There  is  mI'^o  a  row  of 
tiiijor  shop!*,  for  cloth  is  ii  very  dear  article  in  Anicricti,  and  costs  nearly 
double  tlie  price  it  (lot?-:  in  the  Knglish  provinces.  The  Ainericuns  go 
over  there,  and  are  iiit>u.^iintd  for  u  suit  of  clothe- ;  which,  when  ready, 
tliey  put  on,  and  cross  back  to  Detroit  with  their  old  clothes  in  a  bundle. 
The  Hnniffg|in^  is  already  very  extensive,  ai  d  will,  of  course,  increase  ui» 
the  Western  country  b<>conies  more  populous. 

Near  Windsor  and  riiuulwich  are  several  villages  of  free  blacks,  pro- 
bably die  major  portion  of  them  having  been  assisted  in  their  escape  by 
the  Abolitionists.  Tiiey  are  not  very  good  neighbours  from  their  pro- 
pensity to  theiving,  \siiich  cither  is  innate,  or,  as  Miss  Mnrtinean 
would  have  It,  is  the  oi'it'ct  of  slavery.  I  shiill  not  dispute  that  point; 
but  it  is  certain  that  they  are  most  invetorately  hostile  to  the  Americans, 
and  will  fight  to  the  last,  from  the  dread  of  being  again  subjected  to  their 
former  musters.  Tliey  are  an  exccllfjiit  frontier  population ;  and  in  the 
last  troubles  they  p/oved  how  viduuble  tlicy  would  become,  in  case  their 
services  were  more  seriously  re(piired. 


CHAVTKR    XXV. 

Once  more  on  board  of  the  Michigim,  one  of  the  be.st  vessels  on  I^ake 
T:!r'c;  us  usuut,  full  of  eniigrant.s,  chietiy  Irish.  It  is.  impossible  not  to 
feel  compassion  tor  these  poor  people,  wearied  as  they  are  with  confine- 
ment and  sulfcritig,  and  yet  they  do  con)pose  occasionally  about  us 
laughable  a  group  ;is  can  well  be  conceived.  In  the  tirst  place,  they 
bring  out  with  them,  ii'om  Ireland,  articles  which  no  other  people  would 
consider  worth  the  curriii<ire.  I  savv  one  Irish  woman  who  had  five  old 
tin  tea  pots;  there  was  but  one  ^pout  among  the  whole,  and  I  believe 
not  one  bottom  really  sound  and  good.  And  then  their  costumes,  more 
particularly  tiie  littiiig  out  of  the  children,  who  are  not  troubled  with  any 
extra  supply  of  clothes  iit  any  time!  1  have  witnessed  the  seat  of  an  old 
puir  of  cortlnroy  trtiwsers  transformed  into  a  sort  of  bonnet  for  a  laugh- 
ing fair-haired  girl,  ilut  what  amused  uie  more  wjis  the  very  reverse  of 
this  arrangeuieiit;  a  boy's  fatlier  had  just  put  a  patch  xipon  the  hinder 
part  of  his  son's  trousers,  and  cloth  not  being  at  bund,  he  had,  as  an  ex- 
pedient for  stopping  the  gap,  intierted  apiece  of  an  old  straw  bonnet;  in 
so  doing  iie  had  nut  taken  tne  precaution  to  put  the  smooth  side  of  the 
plait  inwards,  and,  in  consequence,  young  Teddy  when  he  first  sai  down 
felt  rather  uncomfortable.  "  What's  the  matteir  wid  ye,  Teddy ;  what 
makes  ye  wriggle  altout  in  that  way  ?  Sit  aisy,  man ;  sure  enough, 
havn'tye  a  straw-bottomed  chair  to  sit  down  upon  all  tho  rest  of  your 
journey,  which  is  more  than  your  father  ever  had  before  you  ?"  And 
then  their  turning  in  for  the  night !  A  single  bed  will  contain  ore  adult 
and  four  little  ones  at  one  end,  and  another  adult  and  two  half-grown  at 
the  other.  But  they  are  all  packed  away  so  snug  and  close,  and  not  one 
renturing  to  move,  there  appears  to  be  room  for  all. 

We  stopped  half  an  hour  at  Mackinaw  to  take  in  wood,  and  then 
started  for  Green  Bay,  in  the  Wisconsin  territory.  Green  Bay  is  a  mil- 
itary statioii;  it  is  a  pretty  little  place,  with  soil  as  rich  as  garden  mould. 
The  Fox  rivci  debouches  here,  butrhe  navigation  is  checked  a  few  miles 
above  the  town  by  the  rapids,  which  have  been  dammed  up  into  a  water 
power;  yet  there  is  no  doubt  that  as  soon  as  the  whole  of  the  Wisconsin 
lands  are  oiTerqd  for  sale  by  the  American  Government,  tlie  river  will  bo 


DURT  IN  AMERICA. 

made  navigable  up  to  itn  meetiug  with  the  WiHconsin,  which  fulls  into 
the  MiuisHippi.  There  ii  only  a  portage  of  u  mile  and  a  Imlf  betwefn 
the  two,  through  which  u  canal  will  he  cut.  and  tliiMi  there  will  be  anotnVr 
junction  between  the  lakea  and  the  Far  West.  It  was  my  original  in- 
tention to  have  taken  the  uhiiiiI  route  by  Chicago  and  Oulenii  to  8t. 
Louifl,  but  I  fell  in  with  Major  F— >,  with  whom  I  had  been  previously 
acquamted,  who  informed  me  that  he  whh  about  to  nend  a  detachment  of 
troops  from  Green  liay  to  Fort  Winnebago,  ucrnfi^  Wiaoonmn  territory. 
Aa  thia  aflbrded  mt;  an  opportunity  of  ?eeni$(  the  country,  which  seldom 
occurd,  I  availed  mynelf  of  an  oti'er  to  join  the  party.  The  detachment 
couitisted  of  about  one  hundred  recruits,  nearly  the  whole  of  them  Cana- 
da patriots,  as  they  are  UHiudly  called,  who,  having  failed  in  taking  the 
provinces  from  John  Bull,  were  fuin  to  accept  the  shilling  from  uncle 
sum. 

Major  F accompanied  us  to  pay  the  troops  at  the  fort,  and  we 

therefore  had  five  wugKuud  with  Uii,  loaded  with  a  couHidcruble  quantity 
of  bread  and  pork,  and  not  quite  so  large  a  proportion  of  specie,  the 
latter  not  having  as  yet  become  plentiful  again  m  the  United  States.  Wo 
set  oft',  and  marched  fifteen  milt  s  in  about  half  a  day,  passing  through 
the  settlement  DcH  Peres,  which  is  situated  at  the  rapids  of  tlie  Fox  river. 
Formerly  they  were  called  the  llapids  des  Peres,  from  a  Jesuit  college 
which  had  been  established  there  by  the  French.  Our  course  'ay  along 
the  banks  of  the  Fo.\  river,  a  beautiful  swift  stream  pouring  down  bo> 
tween  high  ridges,  covered  with  fine  oak  timber. 

The  American  Government  have  disposed  of  all  the  land  on  the  banks 
of  this  river  and  the  luke  Winnebago,  and  consequently  it  is  well  settled; 
but  the  Winnebago  territory  in  Wisconsin,  lately  purchased  of  the  Win- 
nebago Indians,  and  comprising  all  the  prairie  land  and  rich  mineral 
country  from  Galena  to  Mineral  Point,  is  not  yet  offered  for  sale:  when 
it  is,  it  will  be  eagerly  purchased;  and  the -American  Government,  as  it 
only  paid  the  Indians  at  the  rate  of  one  cent  and  a  fraction  per  acre,  will 
make  an  enormous  profit  by  the  speculation.  Well  may  the  Indians  be 
naid,  like  Esau,  to  part  with  their  birthright  for  a  mess  of  pottage ;  but,  in 
truth,  they  are  comptUed  to  sell — the  purchase-money  being  a  mere 
subterfuge,  by  which  it  may  apttear  as  if  their  lands  were  not  wrested 
from  them,  although,  in  fact,  it  is. 

On  the  second  day  we  continued  our  march  along  the  banks  of  the 
Fox  river,  which,  as  we  advanced,  continued  to  be  well  setded,  and 
would  have  been  more  so,  if  some  of  the  best  land  had  not  fallen,  as  nsn- 
al,  into  the  hands  of  speculators,  who,  aware  of  its  value,  hold  out  that 
they  may  obtain  a  high  price  for  it.  The  country  through  which  w« 
passed  was  undulating,  consisting  of  a  succession  of  ridges,  covered 
with  oaks  of  a  large  size,  but  not  growing  close  as  in  a  forest;  you  could 
gallop  your  horse  through  any  pert  of  it.  The  tracks  of  deer  were'  fre- 
quent, but  we  saw  but  one  herd  of  fifteen,  and  that  was  at  a  distanc*. 
We  now  left  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  cut  across  the  country  to  Fond 
du  Lac,  at  the  bottom  of  Lake  Winnebago,  of  which  we  bad  had  alreadj 
an  occasional  glimpse  through  the  openings  of  the  forest.  The  deer 
were  too  wild  to  allow  of  our  getting  near  them ;  so  I  wai  obliged  to 
content  myself  with  shooting  wood  pigeons,  which  were  very  plentiful. 

On  the  night  of  the  third  day  we  encamped  upon  a  very  hi|;h  ridge,  aa 
usual  studded  with  oak  trees.  The  term  uaecl  here  to  distinguish  this 
varie^  of  timber  land  from  the  impervious  woods  is  oak  Oftmingt.  I 
never  saw  a  more  beautiful  view  than  that  which  was  afToraed  us  fh>m 
our  encampment  From  the  high  ground  npon  which  our  tenia  wera 
9* 


..3#- 


108 


% 


DURT  IN  AMIRICA. 


♦% 


C itched,  we  looked  down  to  the  left,  upon  a  prairie  flat  and  lerel  aa  a 
illiard-table,  extending,  uh  fur  ua  tlie  eye  could  ■can,  one  rich  auWace  of 
Unhvulled  green.  To  the  right  the  prairie  gruduahy  changed  to  oak 
openings,  und  tlien  to  a  thick  fbrCHt,  uie  topntOHt  bou^ha  and  heada  of 
which  wore  level  with  our  tenta.     Beyond  them  wan  tlie  whole  broad  ex* 

Eanae  of  tlie  Winnebago  lake,  ani'ioth  and  reH«ctin|{  like  ii  mirror  the 
rilliant  tiuta  of  the  Hetting  sun,  which  diHuppeared,  leaving  a  portion  of 
hie  glory  behind  him ;  while  the  muon  in  her  UHcent,  with  the  dark  por- 
tion of  her  dink  aa  clearly  defined  an  that  which  wum  lighted,  gradually 
incrwiHed  in  brilliancy,  and  the  Htitrtt  twinkled  in  the  clear  aky.  Wo 
watched  the  feature^)  of  the  InndMcapN  gniduully  lading  from  our  Hight, 
until  nothing  waa  left  but  broad  moHdeii  partially  lighted  up  by  the  young 
moon. 

Nor  wan  the  foreground  less  picturenque:  the  nprendingouka,  the  tenta 
of  tlie  soidierii,  the  waggons  drawn  up  with  the  horwed  tethered,  all  light- 
ed up  by  the  blaze  of  our  largo  tires.  Now,  when  1  ttay  our  large  tires, 
I  mean  the  large  tirea  of  America,  consisting  of  three  or  four  ouk  treea, 
containing  n  load  of  wood  each,  beuides  many  large  boughs  and  branch- 
es, altogether  forming  a  tire  some  twenty  or  thirty  feel  long,  with  flnmea 
flickenng  up  twice  an  high  as  one'a  head.  At  u  certain  distance  Irom  thia 
blazing  pile  you  may  perceive  what  in  another  situation  would  be  con- 
■idered  as  a  large  cotfee-pot  (before  thia  luige  fire  it  makes  a  very  dimin- 
utive appearance).  It  la  placed  over  some  embera  drawn  out  from  the 
maae,  which  would  have  soon  burnt  up  coifee-pot  and  coti'ecalt  together; 
and  at  a  atiil  more  respectful  distance  you  may  perceive  small  rods,  not 
above  four  or  hve  feet  long,  bifurcated  at  the  smaller  end,  and  fixed  by 
the  larger  m  the  ground,  so  as  to  hung  towards  the  huge  fire,  at  an  angle 
of  forty  degrees,  like  so  many  tiny  fishing-rods.  These  rods  have  at  their 
bifVircated  ends  a  piece  of  pork  or  ham.  or  of  bread,  or  perhaps  of  veni- 
■on,  for  we  bought  some,  not  having  shot  any :  they  aio  all  private  pro- 
perty, aa  each  party  cooks  fer  himself.  Seeing  these  rods  at  some  dis- 
tance, you  might  almost  imagine  that  they  were  the  fishing-rods  of  Uttle 
imps  bobbing  for  salamanders  in  the  fiery  furnace. 

In  the  mean  time,  while  the  meat  is  cooking  and  the  coffee  is  boiling, 
the  brandy  and  whisky  are  severely  taxed,  as  we  lie  upon  our  cloaks  and 
buffalo  shins  at  the  front  of  our  tents.  There  certainly  is  a  charm  in  this 
wild  aort  of  life,  which  wins  upon  people  the  more  they  practise  it;  nor 
can  it  be  wondered  at:  our  wants  are  in  reality  so  few  and  so  easily«atia- 
'fied,  without  the  reatraint  of  form  and  ceremony.  How  oAen,  in  my 
•wanderioga,  have  I  felt  the  truth  of  Shakspeare'a  lines  in  '*  aa  you  Like 
Jt." 

*'  Now,  my  co-matea  and  partnera  in  exile, 

Hath  not  old  custom  made  mia  life  more  sweet 

Than  tliat  of  painted  pomp  7    Are  not  these  wooda 

More  free  from  peril  than  the  envious  court? 

Here  feel  we  but  the  penalty  of  Adam— 

The  aeasona'  difference." 

On  the  fourth  day  we  descended,  crossed  the  wide  prairie,  and  arrived 
at  tiie  ^ond  du  Lac,  where  we  again  fell  in  with  the  Fox  river,  which 
ran*  through  the  Winnebago  lake.  The  roads  through  the  foresta  had 
been  very  bad,  and  the  men  and  horses  showed  signs  of  fatigue ;  but  we 
bad  new  passed  through  all  the  thickly  wooded  country,  and  had  entered 
into  the  prairie  country,  extending  to  Fort  Winnebago,  and  which  wa« 
niaaUfal  beYon4  conception.    Ito  featv^  alone  can  1^  |(ejiciibed  i  .)>ttt 


'4t> 


v*"-* 
rf 


^^P 


','W'*'' 


leTel  ai  a 
aiirlace  of 
ed  to  ottk 
i  headi  of 
3  brood  ex- 
mirror  the 
portion  of 
I  dark  por- 
,  gradually 
»ky.  W« 
I  oiir  night, 
the  young 

ka,  the  tents 
ed,  all  light- 
Inrge  tires, 
r  ouk  treei, 
and  branch- 
with  flnniei 
ice  iroin  this 
Duid  be  con- 
very  dimin- 
uut  I'rom  the 
all  together; 
lall  rodri,  not 
and  fixed  by 
!,  at  an  angle 
I  have  at  their 
tiaps  of  veni- 
I  private  pro- 
at  some  dia- 
rodfl  of  litUe 

ee  is  boiling, 
ur  cloaks  and 
charm  in  this 
actise  it;  nor 
lo  easilyaatis- 
often,  in  my 
as  you  like 


),  and  arrived 

river,  which 

te  forests  bad 

:izue;butwe 

Iliad  entered 

^d  which  was 

leachbed;  M 


*    ,.- 


DIART  IK  AMBmOA. 


103 


its  eflecta  can  only  be  felt  by  being  seen.  The  prairies  here  are  not  very 
iarse,  seldom  being  above  six  or  Heveu  miles  in  length  or  breadth;  gene- 
ral^ speaking,  they  lie  in  gentle  niiduluting  Haw,  and  the  ridges  andhilb 
between  tlieui  are  composed  of  ouk  openings.  To  form  an  idea  of  these 
oak  openings,  imagine  an  inland  country  covered  witli  splendid  trees, 
about  as  thickly  planted  as  in  our  hnglitthparkit;  in  fact,  it  is  Kngiish  park 
acenery,  Nature  having  here  Hponiaiieounly  produced  what  it  has  been 
the  care  and  labour  of  centuries  in  our  own  country  to  effect.  Some- 
times the  prairie  will  rise  andcxteiui  along  the  hills, and  asNumeanundu- 
lating  appearance,  like  the  long  swell  of  the  ocean;  it  io  then  called  roll- 
ins  prairie. 

Often,  when  I  looked  down  upon  some  fifteen  or  twenty  thousand 
acres  of  thetie  pairies,  full  of  rich  grafts,  without  one  animal,  tame  or 
wild,  to  be  seen,  I  would  fancy  what  thousands  of  cattle  will,  in  a  few 
years,  be  luxuriating  in  those  pastures,  which,  since  the  herds  of  buflfalo 
nave  retreated  from  them,  are  now  useless,  and  throwing  np  each  year 
a  fresh  crop,  to  seed  and  to  die  unheeded. 

On  our  way  we  had  fallen  in  with  a  young  Frenchman,  who  had  pur^ 
chased  some  land  at  Fond  du  l.uc,  and  was  proceeding  tliere  in  company 
with  an  American,  whom  he  had  hitud  to  motile  on  it.  I  now  parted 
company  with  him ;  he  hud  gone  out  with  me  in  my  shooting  excursions, 
and  talked  of  nothing  but  his  purchase:  it  had  water;  it  hud  a  waterfall ; 
it  had,  iu  fact,  everything  that  ne  could  desire;  but  he  thought  that,  after 
two  years,  he  would  go  lionie  and  get  a  wife :  a  Paradise  without  an  Eve 
would  be  no  Paradise  at  all. 

The  price  of  labour  is,  as  may  be  supposed,  very  high  in  this  part  of 
the  country.  Hiring  by  the  year,  you  find  a  mun  in  fond,  board,  and 
washing,  and  pay  him  tliree  hundred  dollars  per  annum  (about  £70 
English.) 

The  lost  night  that  we  bivouacked  out  was  the  only  unfortunate  one. 
We  had  been  all  comfortably  settled  for  the  night,  and  fast  asleep,  when 
a  sudden  storm  came  on,  accompanied  with  such  torrents  of  rain  as  would 
have  washed  us  out  of  our  tents,  if  they  hod  not  teen  already  blown 
down  by  the  violence  of  the  gale.  Had  we  had  any  wiming,  we  should 
have  provided  against  it;  us  it  was,  we  made  up  hug«  fires,  which  defied 
the  rain;  and  thus  we  remained  till  day-light,  the  rain  pouring  on  us. 
while  the  heat  of  the  fir'e  drying  us  almost  as  fast  as  we  got  wet,  each 
man  threw  up  a  column  of  steam  from  his  still  saturating  and  still  heated 
garments.  Kvery  night  we  encamped  where  there  was  a  run  of  water, 
and  plenty  of  dead  timber  for  our  nres;  and  thus  did  we  go  on,  empty* 
ing  our  waggons  daily  of  the  bread  and  pork,  and  filling  up  the  vacan- 
ciea  left  by  the  removal  of  the  empty  cauu  with  the  sick  and  lame,  until 
at  last  we  arrived  at  Fort  Winnerago. 


OHAPTKR  XXVI. 

Wb  had  not  to  arrive  at  the  fort  to  receive  a  welcome,  for  when  we 
were  still  distant  about  seven  miles,  the  otficers  of  the  garrison,  who  had 
notice  ofour  coming,  made  their  appearance  on  horseback,  bringing  • 
britehska  and  srey  horses  for  our  accommodation.  Those  who  were  not 
on  duty  (and  f  was  one)  accepted  the  invitation,  and  we  drove  in  upon 
a  road  which,  indeed,  for  the  last  thir  y  miles,  had  been  as  level  aa  the 
best  in  England.  The  carriage  was  followed  by  pointers,  hounds,  and  a 
variety  of  dogs,  who  were  off  duty  like  ounelvea,  and  who  appeared 
quit*  aa  much  delighted  with  their  run  as  w4  were  tired  with  oura.    Tha 


W 


r'«r 


104 


DIART  Iir  AHKRICA. 


medical  officer  attached  to  the  fort,  an  old  friend  and  correfipondent  of 
Mr.  Lee  of  Philadelphia,  received  mn  with  nil  kindness,  and  immediately 
installed  me  into  one  of  the  rooqis  in  the  hospital. 

Fort  Winnebago  is  situ  ited  botwreen  the  Fox  and  Wisconsin  rivers 
at  the  portage,  the  two  rivsrs  being  about  a  mile  and  a-half  apai'r;  the 
Fox  river  running  east,  and  giving  its  waters  to  Lake  Michigan  at  Green 
Bay,  while  the  Wiscosin  turns  to  the  west,  and  runs  into  the  Mississippi 
at  Prairie  du  Chien.  The  fort  is  merel^^  a  square  of  barracks,  connected 
tog'  'ver  with  palisades,  to  protect  it  tVom  the  Indians ;  and  it  is  hardly 
suifaodntly  strong  for  even  that  purpose.  It  is  beautifully  situated,  and 
when  the  country  fills  up  will  become  s  place  of  importance  Most  of 
the  officers  are  married,  and  live  a  very  quiet,  and  secluded,  but  not  un- 
plea-sant  life.  I  stayed  there  two  days,  much  pie  ised  with  the  society 
a>id  the  kindness  shown  t)  me ;  but  an  opportunity  of  decending the 
Wisconsin  to  Prairie  du  Chien,  in  a  keel-boat,  having  presented  itself, 
I  availad  myself  of  an  invitation  to  join  the  party,  instead  of  proceeding 
by  land  to  Galena,  as  had  been  nfy  original  intention. 

The  boat  had  been  tiwed  up  the  Wisconsin  with  a  cargo  of  flour  for 
the  garrison;  and  a  portion  of  th?  officers  having  be»'n  ordered  down  to 
Praurie  du  Chien.  they  had  obtained  this  large  boat  to  transport  them> 
selves,  families,  furniture,  and  horses,  ail  at  once,  down  to  their  destina* 
tiou.  The  boat  was  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  long,  covered  in 
to  the  height  of  six  feet  above  the  gunuel.  and  very  much  in  appearance 
like  the  Noah's  Ark  given  to  children,  excepting  that  the  roof  was  flat. 
It  was  an  unwieldy  craft,  and,  to  manage  it,  it  required  at  least  twenty- 
flve  men  with  poles  and  long  sweeps ;  but  the  army  gentlemenhad  de- 
cided that,  as  we  were  to  go  down  with  the  stream,  six  men  with  short 
oars  would  be  sufficient — a  very  great  mistake.  In  every  other  respect 
she  was  badly  found,  as  we  term  it  at  sea,  having  but  one  old  piece  of  rope 
to  hang  on  with,  and  one  axe.  Our  freight  consisted  of  furniture  stowed 
forward  and  aft,  with  a  horse  and  cow.  In  a  cabin  in  the  centre  we  iiad 
a  lady  and  five  children,  one  maid  and  two  officers.  Our  crew  was  com- 
posed  of  six  soldiers,  a  servant,  and  a  French  half  bred  to  pilot  us  down 
the  river.  All  Winnebago  came  out  to  see  us  start ;  and  as  soon  as  the 
rM»e  was  cast  off",  away  we  went  down  with  the  strong  current  at  the  rate 
offive  miles  an  hour.  The  river  passed  through  forests  of  oak,  the  large 
Hmbs  of  whici)  hung  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  over  the  banks  on  each 
side ;  sometimes  whole  trees  lay  prostrate  in  the  stream,  held  by  their 
rnot^  still  partially  remaining  in  the  ground,  while  their  trunks  and 
branches  offering  resistance  to  the  swill  current,  created  a  succesion  of 
small  mases  of  froth,  which  floated  away  on  the  dark  green  water. 

We  had  not  proceeded  far.  before  we  found  that  it  was  impossible 
to  manage  such  a  large  and  cumbrous  ressel  with  our  few  hands ;  we 
were  almost  at  the  mercy  of  the  current,  which  appeared  to  increase  in 
rapidity  every  minutQ ;  however,  by  exertion  and  good  management, 
we  contrived  to  keep  in  the  middle  of  the  stream  until  the  wind  sprung 
up  and  drove  us  on  to  the  southern  bank  of  the  river,  and  then  all  was 
cracking  and  tearing  away  of  the  wood-work,  breaking  of  limbs  from  the 
projecting  trees,  the  snapping,  cracking,  screaming,  hallooing,  and  cos- 
fiision.  As  fast  as  we  cleared  ourselves  of  one  tree,  the  current  bore  tu 
down  npfm  another ;  as  soon  as  we  were  clear  above  water,  we  were 
foul andf  entangled  below,.  It  was  a  pretty  general  average;  but^what 
was  worse  than  all  a  snag  had  intercepted  and  U'  shipped  our  rudder, 
and  we  were  floating  away  from  it,  as  it  still  remained  fixed  upon  the 
raqken  tree.  '  'Weluid  no  boat  with  us»  not  even  a  dni^-oirt— (a  caipo^ 


DIART  IS  AMERICA. 


m 


ndent  of 
lediately 

n  iivera 
taa;  the 
It  Green 
ississippi 
onnected 
13  hardly 
ated,  and 
Most  of 
itnotun- 
le  society 
nding  the 
ited  itself, 
roceeding 

■  flour  for 
d  down  to 
)ort  them- 
sir  destina- 
eovered  in 
ppearance 
if  was  flat, 
ist  twenty- 
nenhad  de- 
I  with  short 
ler  respect 
ece  of  rope 
lire  stowed 
itre  we  iiad 
w  was  com- 
»t  us  down 
oon  aa  the 
tat  the  rate 
.:,  the  large 
iks  on  each 
ild  bv  their 
trunks  and 
iccesion  of 
Iter. 


Ihands;  we 
lincrease  in 
Itnagement, 
ind  aprung 
[len  lul  was 
M  from  the 
;,  and  COB- 
ent  bore  m 
Jr,  we  were 
[;  but^what 
{>ur  rudder, 
upon  the 
(a  c«|09 


made  out  of  the  trunk  of  a  tree,) — so  one  of  the  men  climbed  on  shore  by 
the  limbs  of  an  oak,  and  went  back  to  disengage  it.  He  did  --o,  but  not 
being  able  to  resist  the  force  of  the  stream,  down  he  and  the  rudder  came 
together — his  only  chance  of  salvation  being  that  of  our  catching  him  as 
he  came  past  us  This  we  fortunately  succeeded  in  aflfecting ;  and  then 
hanging  on  by  our  old  piece  of  rope  to  the  banks  of  the  river,  after  an 
hour's  delay  we  contrived  to  re-ship  our  rudder,  and  proceeded  on  our 
voyage,  which  was  a  continuation  of  the  same  eventful  history.  Every 
half  hour  we  found  ourselves  wedged  in  between  the  spreading  lirabii  of 
the  oaks,  and  were  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  the  axe  to  clear  ourselvei: 
and  on  every  occasion  we  lost  a  further  portion  of  the  frame-work  of  our 
boat,  either  from  the  roof,  tha  sides,  or  by  the  tearing  away  of  the  stan- 
cheons  themselves. 

A  little  before  sunset,  we  were  again  swept  on  to  the  bank  with  such 
force  as  to  draw  the  pintles  of  our  rudder.  This  flnished  us  for  the  day : 
before  it  could  be  replaced,  it  was  time  to  make  fast  for  the  night ;  so 
there  we  lay,  holding  by  our  rotten  piece  of  rope,  which  cracked  and 
strained  to  such  a  degree,  as  inclined  us  to  speculate  upon  where  we 
might  find  ourselves  in  the  morning.  However,  we  could  not  help  our- 
selves, so  we  landed,  made  a  large  fire,  and  cooked  our  victuals;  not, 
however,  venturing  to  wander  away  far,  on  account  of  the  rattle-snakes, 
which  here  abounded.  Perhaps  there  is  no  portion  of  America  in 
which  the  rattle-snakes  are  so  large  and  so  numerous  as  in  Wisconsin. 
There  are  two  varieties:  the  black  rattlesnake,  that  frequents  marshy 
spots,  and  renders  it  rather  dangerous  to  shoot  snipes  and  ducks ;  and 
the  yellow,  which  takes  up  its  abode  in  the  rocks  and  dry  places.     Dr; 

F told  me  that  he  had  killed,  inside  of  the  fort  Winnebago,  one  of 

the  latter  species,  between  seven  and  eight  feet  long.  The  rattle-snake, 
although  its  poison  is  so  fatal,  is  in  fact  not  a  very  dangerous  animal,  and 
people  are  seldom  bitten  by  it.  This  arises  from  two  causes :  first,  that 
It  invariably  gives  you  notice  of  lU  presence  by  its  rattle ;  and  secondly  > 
that  it  always  coils  itself  up  like  a  watch-spring  before  it  strikes,  and  then 
darts  forward  only  about  its  own  length.  Where  they  are  common,  tha 
people  generally  carry  with  them  a  vial  of  ammonia,  which,  if  instantly 
applied  to  the  bite,  will  at  least  prevent  death.  The  copper-head  is  a 
snake  of  a  much  more  dangerous  nature,  from  its  giving  no  warning,  and 
its  poison  being  equally  active. 

This  river  lias  been  very  appropriately  named  by  the  Indians  the 
'  Stream  of  the  Thousand  Isles,'  as  it  is  studded  with  them ;  indeed, 
every  quarter  of  a  mile  you  find  one  or  two  in  its  channel.  The  scenery 
is  fine,  as  the  river  runs  through  high  ridges,  covered  with  oak  to  their 
summits ;  sometimes  these  ridges  are  backed  by  higher  cliffs  and  moun- 
tains, which  halfway  up  are  of  a  verdant  green,  and  above  that  present 
horizontal  strata  of  calcareous  rock  of  rich  grey  tinto,  having,  at  a 
distance,  very  much  the  appearance  of  the  dilapidated  castles  on  the 
Rhino. 

The  scenery,  though  not  so  grand  as  the  highlands  of  the  Hudson,  is 
more  diversified  and  beautiful.  The  river  was  very  full,  and  the  cur- 
rent occasionally  so  rapid,  as  to  leave  a  foam  as  it  sw  pt  by  any  project- 
ing point.  We  had,  now  that  the  liver  widened,  sand  banks  to  contend 
with,  which  required  all  tlie  exertsons  of  our  inufiicient  crew. 

On  the  second  morning,  I  was  very  much  annoyed  at  our  having  left 
without  providing  ourselves  with  a  boat,  for  at  the  grey  of  dawn,  we  dis- 
covered that  some  deer  had  taken  the  river  close  to  us,  and  were  in  raid- 
ritieam.     Had  we  had  a  boat,  we  might  hare  procured  a  good  supply  of 


^.1 


106 


DIARY  IN  AMERICA. 


venison  We  cast  off  again  and  resumed  onr  vovage ;  and  without  anj 
serioiu  iaccident  we  arrived  at  the  shot-tower,  where  we  rema  ned  for 
the  night.     Finding  a  shoMower  in  such  a  lone  wilderness  as  this,  gives 

I^ou  some  idea  of  the  enterprize  of  the  Americans ;  but  the  Galena,  or 
eaid  district,  commences  here,  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Wisconi)in.  The 
smelting  is  carried  on  about  twelve  miles  inland,  and  the  lead  is  brought 
here,  made  into  shot,  and  then  sent  down  the  river  to  the  Mississippi,  by 
which,  and  iti  tributary  streams,  it  is  supplied  to  all  America,  west  of  the 
Aileghanies.  The  people  were  all  at  work  when  wo  arrived.  The 
general  distress  had  even  affected  the  demand  for  shot,  which  was  now 
considerably  reduced. 

On  the  third  day  vye  had  the  good  fortune  to  have  no  wind,  and  con- 
sequently made  rapid  pro^rpss,  without  much  further  damage.  We 
passed  asmall  settlement  called  the  English  prairie-*-for  the  prairies  were 
now  occasionally  mixed  up  with  the  mountain  scenery.  Here  there  was 
asmelting-house  and  a  steam  saw-mill. 

The  diggings,  as  they  term  the  places  where  the  lead  is  found  (for 
they  do  not  mine,  but  dig  down  from  the  surface,)  were  about  sixteen 
miles  distant.  We  continued  our  course  for  about  twenty  miles  lower 
down,  when  we  wound  up  our  day's  work  by  getting  into  a  more  seri- 
ous Jix  among  the  trees,  and  eventually  losing  our  on'.y  axe,  which  fell 
overboard  into  deep  water.  All  Noah's  Ark  was  in  dismay,  for  we  did 
not  know  what  might  happen,  or  what  the  next  day  might  bring  forth. 
Fortunately,  it  was  not  necessary  to  cut  wood  for  firing.  During  the 
whole  of  this  trip  I  was  much  amused  with  our  pilot,  who,  fully  aware 
of  the  dangers  of  the  river,  was  also  equally  conscious  that  there  were 
not  sufficient  means  on  board  to  avoid  them ;  when,  therefore,  we  were 
set  upon  a  sand-bauk,  or  pressed  by  the  wind  on  the  sunken  trees,  he 
always  whistled  ;•  that  was  all  he  could  do,  and  in  proportion  as  the 
danger  became  more  imminent,  so  did  he  whistle  the  louder,  until  the 
aftair  was  decided  by  a  bump  or  a  crash,  and  then  he  was  silent. 

On  the  ensiling  day  we  had  nothing  but  m'sfortues.  We  were  con- 
tinually twisted  and  twirled  about,  sometimes  with  our  bows,  sometimes 
with  our  stern  foremost,  and  as  often  with  our  broadside  to  the  stream. 
We  were  whirled  against  one  bank,  and,  as  soon  as  we  were  clear  of  that 
we  were  thrown  upon  the  other.  Having  no  axe  to  tut  away,  we  were 
obliged  to  use  our  hands.  Again  our  rudder  was  unshipped,  and  with 
^reat  difficulty  replaced.  By  this  time  we  had  lost  nearly  the  hall"  of  the 
upper  works  of  the  boat,  one  portion  after  another  having  been  torn  off 
by  the  limbs  of  the  trees  as  the  impetuous  current  drove  us  along.  To 
add  to  our  difficulties,  a  strong  wind  rose  against  the  current,  and  the 
boat  became  qtiite  unmanegable.  About  noon,  when  we  had  gained 
only  seven  miles,  the  wind  abated,  and  two  Menonnomie  Indians,  in  a 
dug-out,  came  alongside  of  us ;  and  as  it  was  doubtful  whether  we  should 
arrive  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  on  that  night,  or  be  lef>  upon  a  sand-bank, 
I  got  into  the  canoe  with  them,  to  go  down  to  the  landing-place,  and  from 
thence  to  cross  over  to  Prairie  du  Chien,  to  inform  the  officers  of  the 
garrison  of  our  condition,  and  obtain  assistance.  The  canoe  would  ex- 
actly hold  three,  and  no  more ;  but  we  paddled  swifYly  down  the  stream, 
and  we  soon  lost  sight  of  the  Noah's  Ark.  Independently  of  the  canoe 
being  so  small,  she  had  lost  a  large  portion  of  her  stem,  so  that  at  the 
least  ripple  of  the  water  she  took  it  in,  and  threatened  us  with  a  swim ; 
and  she  wa*"  »o  very  narrow,  that  the  least  motion  would  have  destroyed 
her  equilibrium  and  upset  her.  One  Indian  sat  in  the  bow,  the  other  in 
the  stern,  whilst  I  was  doubled  up  in  the  middle.    We  had  given  the  In- 


blART  lit  AMERICA. 


107 


dians  some  bread  and  pork,  and  afler  paddling  about  half  an  hour,  they 
stopped  to  eat.  Now,  the  Indian  at  the  bow  had  the  pork,  while  the  one 
at  the  stern  had  the  bread ;  any  attempt  to  move,  so  as  to  hand  the  eata< 
bles  to  each  other,  must  have  upset  us ;  so  this  was  their  plan  of  com- 
munication:— The  one  in  the  bow  cut  off  a  ^lice  of  pork,  and  putting  it 
into  the  lid  of  a  saueepan  which  he  had  with  him,  and  floating  it  along- 
side of  the  cano6,  gave  it  a  sufficient  momentum  to  make  it  swim,  to  the 
stern,  wKen  the  other  took  posse:<sion  of  it.  He  in  the  stem  then  cut  off 
a  piece  of  bread,  and  sent  it  back  in  return  by  the  same  conv  yance.  I 
had  a  flask  of  whi?ky,  but  they  would  not  trust  that  by  the  same  perilous 
little  conveyance ;  so  I  had  to  lean  forward  very  steadily,  and  hand  it  to 
the  foremost,  and,  when  he  returned  it  to  itie,  to  lean  backwards  to  give 
it  the  other,  with  whom  it  remained  till  we  landed,  for  I  could  not  re- 
gain it.  AAer  about  an  hour's  more  padclling,  we  arrived  safely  at  the 
landing-place.  I  had  some  trouble  to  get  ahorse,  and  was  obliged  to  go 
out  to  the  fields  where  the  men  were  ploughing.  In  doing  so,  I  passed 
two  or  three  very  large  sniikes.  At  last  I  was  mounted  somehow,  but 
without  stirrups,  and  setoff  for  Prairie  du  Chien.  After  riding  about 
four  milen,  I  had  passed  the  mountain,  and  I  suddenly  came  upon  the 
prairie  (on  which  were  feeding  several  herd  of  catde  and  horses),  with 
the  fort  in  the  distance,  and  the  wide  waters  of  the  Upper  Mississippi 
flowing  beyond  it.  I  crossed  the  prairie,  found  my  way  into  the  fort,  , 
stated  the  situation  of  our  party,  and  requested  assistance.  This  was  im- 
mediately dispatched,  but  on  their  arrival  at  the  landing-place,  they  foiind 
that  the  keel-boat  had  arrived  at  the  ferry  without  further  dithculty.  Be- 
fore sunset  the  carriages  returned  with  the  whole  party,  who  were  com- 
fortably accommodated  in  the  barracks — a  sufficient  number  of  men  being 
lefl  with  tlie  boat  to  bring  it  round  to  the  Mississippi,  a  distance  of  about 
twelve  miles. 


CHAPTKR  XXVII. 

Praikik  nv  Chikn  is  a  beautiful  meadow,  about  eight  miles  long  by 
two  broiid,  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  Wisconsin  and  the  Missis- 
sippi ;  it  is  backed  with  hiijli  bluffs,  such  as  I  have  before  described,  ver- 
dant two-thirds  oftlie  way  up,  and  crowned  with  rocky  summits.  The 
bluffs,  as  I  must  call  theui,  for  I  know  not  what  other  name  to  give  them, 
rise  very  abruptly,  often  in  a  sugar-loaf  form,  from  the  flat  lands,  and 
have  a  very  striking  appearanr  e;  as  you  look  up  to  them,  their  peculiar 
formation  and  vivid  green  sides,  contrastiii!^  with  their  hlue  and  grey 
summits,  give  them  the  appearance  of  a  succession  of  ramparts  invest- 
ing tlie  prairie.  T!ie  fort  at  the  prairie,  which  is  named  Fort  Crawford, 
is,  like  most  other  American  outposts,  a  mere  inclosure,  intended  to  repel 
the  attacks  of  Indians;  but  it  is  hirge  and  co'.nniodious,  and  the  quarters 
oftlie  olfiocrs  are  excelienl;  it  is,  moreover,  built  ofslone,  which  is  not 
tlie  case  with  Fort  Winneba^ro,  or  Fort  Howard  at  Green  Bay.  The 
Upper  Mississippi  is  here  a  Iteautifiil  clear  blue  stream,  intersected  with 
verdant  islands,  and  very  diiriMent  in  ii]ipearance  from  the  Lower  iMis- 
sissippi,  al'rer  it  has  been  joiuod  by  the  Missouri.  The  oppoiite  .'.liore  is 
composed  of  high  dills,  covered  witli  timber,  which,  notcndy  in  form, 
but  in  tint  and  colour,  remind  you  very  much  of  Glover's  landscapes  of 
the  moiuiaiimus  parts  of  ii-'cutland  and  \Vide3. 

I  made  one  or  two  excursions  to  cxiimine  the  ancient  mounds  which 
are .scatteresl  <dl  over  this  diatii'^t,  and  vvliicn  iiave  excited  much  specula- 
tion as  to  t!ieir  oriidn  ;  some  siipj-o-ing  flicm  t«  h-ave  been  Coriifications, 
otliers  the  burial-places  oftlie  Indians.    That  they  have  lately  been  used 


108 


DIARY  IN  AMKRICAt 


by  the  Indians  as  burial-places  tliere  ia  no  doubt;  but  I  suspect  they  were 
not  originally  raised  for  that  purpose.  A  Mr.  Taylor  has  written  an  ar- 
ticle in  one  of  the  periodicals,  stating  his  opinion  that  they  were  the 
burialrplaces  of  chiefs;  and  to  prove  it,  he  asserts  that  some  of  them  are 
thrown  up  in  imitation  of  the  figure  of  the  animal  which  was  the  heraldic 
distinction  of  the  chief  whose  remains  they  contain,  such  as  the  beaver, 
elk,  &c.  He  has  given  drawings  of  some  of  them-  That  the  Indians 
have  their  heraldic  distinctions,  their  totems,  as  they  call  them,  I  know  to 
be  a  fact ;  as  I  have  seeit  the  fur  trader's  books,  containing  the  receipts 
of  the  chiefs,  with  their  crests  drawn  by  themselves,  and  very  correctly 
too ;  but  it  required  moie  imagination  than  i  possess  to  make  out  the 
form  of  any  animal  in  the  mounds.  I  should  rather  suppose  the  mounds 
to  be  the  remains  of  tenements,  sometimes  fortified,  sometimes  not, 
which  were  formerly  built  of  mud  or  earth,  as  is  still  the  custom  in  the 
northern  portion  of  the  Sioux  country.  Desertion  and  time  have  crum- 
bled tneni  into  these  mounds,  which  are  generally  to  be  found  in  a  com- 
manding situation,  or  in  a  string,  as  if  constructed  for  mutual  defence. 
On  Rock  River  there  is  a  long  line  of  wall,  now  below  the  surface,  which 
extends  for  a,  considerable  distance,  and  is  supposed  to  be  the  remains  of 
a  city  built  by  a  ibrmer  race,  probably  the  Mexican,  who  long  since  re- 
treated before  the  northern  race  of  Indians.  I  cannot  recollect  the  name 
which  has  been  given  to  it.  I  had  not  time  to  visit  this  spot ;  but  an  of- 
ficer showed  me  some  pieces  of  what  they  called  the  brick  which  com- 
poses the  wall.  Brick  it  is  not — no  right  angles  have  been  discovered, 
so  far  as  I  could  learn  (  it  appears  rather  as  if  a  w(ili  had  been  raised  of 
clay,  and  then  exposed  to  the  action  of  fire,  as  portions  of  it  are  strongly 
vitrified,  and  others  are  merely  hard  clay.  But  admitting  my  surmises  to 
be  correct,  still  tliere  is  evident  proof  that  this  country  was  formerly  peo- 
pled by  a  nation  whose  habits  were  very  differsnt,  and  in  all  appearance 
more  civilized,  than  those  of  the  races  which  were  found  here :  and  this 
is  all  that  can  be  satisfactorily  sustained.  As,  however,  it  is  well  sub- 
stantiated that  a  race  similar  to  the  Mexican  formerly  existed  on  theve 
prairie  lands,  the  whole  question  may  perhaps  be  solved  by  the  following 
extract  from  Irving's  Conquest  of  Florida: — 

"  The  village  of  Onachili  resembles  most  of  the  Indian  villages  of  Flo- 
rida. The  natives  always  endeavoiu-ed  to  build  upon  high  ground,  or  at 
least  to  erect  the  house  of  their  cacique,  or  chief,  upon  an  eminence.  As 
the  country  was  very  level,  and  high  places  sekiom  to  be  found,  they  coti- 
atructed  arlificial  mounds  of  earth,  capable  of  containing  from  ten  to 
twenty  hoofiea ;  there  resided  the  chief,  his /ami  ly,  and  attendants.  At 
the  foot  of  the  hill  was  a  square,  according  to  the  size  of  the  village, 
round  which  were  the  houses  of  the  leaders  and  most  distinguished  inha- 
bitants." 

I  consider  the  Wisconsin  territory  as  the  finest  portion  of  North  Ame- 
rica, not  only  from  its  soil,  but  its  climate.  The  air  is  pure,  and  the 
winters,  although  severe,  are  dry  and  bracina ;  very  different  from,  and 
more  healthy  than  those  of  the  Fastern  States.  At  Prairie  du  Chien 
every  one  dwelt  upon  the  beauty  of  the  winter,  indeed  they  appeared  to 
prefer  it  to  tlie  other  seasons.  The  country  is,  as  I  have  described  it  in 
my  route  from  Green  Bay,  .ilternate  pmirie,  oak  openings,  and  forest; 
and  the  varae  may  be  said  of  the  other  side  of  the  Mississippi,  now  distin- 
guished a^  the  district  of  loway.  Limestone  quarries  abound ;  indeed, 
the  whole  of  this  beautiful  and  fertile  region  appears  as  if  nature  had  so 
arranged  it  that  nnni  slioukl  have  all  diffifMihies  cleared  from  before  him, 
and  have  bat  little  to  do  but  to  take  possession  and  enjoy.    There  is  no 


blXRt  nt  AMSltltiAi 


IM 


they  were 
tteu  an  ar- 
were  the 
'them  are 
[le  heraldic 
he  beaver, 
he  Indians 
1  know  to 
iie  receipts 
y  correctly 
ke  out  the 
he  uiounds 
etimes  not, 
9tom  in  the 
havecrum- 
id  in  a  com- 
lal  defence, 
rface,  which 
8  remains  of 
ig  since  re- 
set the  name 
;  but  an  of- 
which  com- 
discovered, 
en  raised  of 
are  strongly 
y  surmises  to 
ormerly  peo- 
1  appearance 
re :  and  this 
is  well  sub- 
ted  on  these 
he  following 


tearing  of  timber  requisite;  on  the  contrary,  yon  have  just  as  mtich  ii 
you  can  desire,  whether  fbt  use  oir  oi^ment.    i'raries  of  fine  richgnUM^ 
upon  which  cattle  fatten  in  three  or  four  months,  lay  spread  in  evenr  di-> 
rcction.    The  soil  ib  so  fertile  that  you  have  but  to  turn  it  up  tb  taake  it 
yield  grain  to  any  extent ;  and  the  climate  is  healthy,  at  the  same  time 
that  there  is  more  tlian  stifBcient  sUh  in  the  sUtntnerand  butUmtttobrin^ 
every  crop  to  perfection.    Land  carriage  is  hardly  required  from  the  nu- 
merous rivers  and  streams  Which  pour  their  waters  from  eVery  direction 
into  the  Upper  Mississippi.    Add  tb  all  this,  th&t  thef  Western  lands  pdt- 
sess  an  inexnanatible  supply  Of  taiinerals,'onIy  a  few  ibet  under  the  sur- 
face of  their  rich  soil-^a  singular  and  wonderful  provision,  as,  in  general, 
where  minerals  are  found  below,  the  soil  above  is  usually  arid  and  un-> 
grateful'.    The  mineral  country  is  ta  the  south  of  the  Wisconsin  river-' 
at  least  ndthing  has  at  present  been  discovered  north  of  it;  but  the  nor-' 
them  part  is  still  in  the  posstission  of  the  Wiimebago  Indians,  who  are 
Waiting  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  treaty  before  they  surrender  it,  tmd  at 
present  Will  permit  nO  white  settler  to  enter  it.    It  is  ^aid  that  the  Other 
portions  of  the  Wisconsin  territory  will  come  into  the  market  thib  year; 
at  present,  with  the  exception  of  the  Fox  river  anii  Winnebagd  Lake 
settlement^,  and  thatof  Prairie  du  Chien,  at  the  confluence  of  the  two  rivenl 
Wiscoiisin  and  Mississippi,  there  is  hardly  a  log-hoUse  ill  the  whole  district. 
The  greatest  annoyance  at  present  in  this  western  country  is  the  quan- 
tity and  variety  of  snakes ;  it  is  hardly  safe  to  land  updn  sotne  parts  of 
the  Wisconsin  river  banks,  and  theV  certainly  oSet  a  great  impediment 
to  the  excursions  of  geologist  and  botanist ;  you  are  obliged  to  look 
right  and  left  as  you  Walk,  and  as  for  putting  your  hand  into  a  hole, 
you  would  be  almost  certain  to  receive  a  very  utlwished:for  and  unplea- 
Btint  shake  to  Welcome  you. 

I  ought  here  to~  explain  ah  American  law  relative  to  what  id  termed 
Bquattingi  that  is,  taking  possession  of  land  belonging  to  gbvemtnent 
and  cttltiVatihg  it:  sueh  Was  the  custom  of  the  b^ck-woodsmen,  and,  for 
want  of  this  law,  it  often  happened  that  after  they  had  cultivated  a  farm 
the  land  Would  be  applied  for  and  purchased  by  some  speeulatof ,  who 
would  forcibly  eject  the  occUpatit,  and  take  possession  of  the  improved 
property.  A  back- woodsman  was  not  to  be  trifled  withj  ahd  the  conse- 
quences very  commonly  were  that  the  new  proprietor  Was  found  soihe 
fine  morning  with  a  rifle-bullet  through  his  head.    To  preveiit  this  nn- 

{'nst  dpolifttion  on  the  one  part,  and  summary  revenge  on  the  other,  a  law 
las  been  passed,  by  which  any  person  having  taken  possession  of  land 
belonging  to  the  States  Government  shall,  as  soon  ad  the  lands  have 
been  surveyed  and  come  into  the  market,  have  the  right  of  purchasing 
the  quarter  section,  or    one   huhdred  and  sixty  acres  round  him. 
Manv  thousands  are  settled  in  this  waV  all  over  the  neW  Western  Stbtes, 
And  this  pre-emption  right  is  one  of  the  few  laws  in  Western  America 
strictly  adhered  to.    A  siiigultlt  proof  of  this  occurred  the  other  day  at 
Galena.    The  government  had  made  regulations  with  the  diggers  and 
smelters  on  the  government  lahdsfor  a  per  centage  on  the  lead  raised, 
as  a  government  tax ;  and  they  erected  a  large  stdne  building  to  ware- 
house their  portion  which  Was  paid  in  lead.     As  soon  as  the  g&vern- 
ment  had  finished  it,  a  man  stepped  forward  and  proved  his  right  of  pre- 
emption on  the  land  upon  which  the  building^  was  erected,  and  it  was 
decided  against  the  government,  although  the  land  was  actually  govern- 
ment land ! 

10 


/■ 


m 


CURY  IN  IMeftlCA. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

I  RiiBUlHED  u  week  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  and  left  my  kind  entertainers 
ivith  regret;  but  an  opportunity  offering  of  goi^ng  up  to  St.  Peters  ina 
•team-boat,  with  General  Atkinson,  who  was  on  a  tour  of  inspection,  I 
could  not  neglect  so  favorable  a  chance.  St.  Peters  is  situated  at  the  con* 
fluence  of  the  St.  Peters  River  with  the  Upper  Mississippi,  about  seven 
miles  below  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  where  the  River  Mississippi  be- 
comes no  longer  navigable ;  and  here,  removed  many  hundred  miles 
from  civilization,  the  Americans  have  an  outpost  called  fort  Snelling, 
and  the  American  Fur  Company  an  establishment.  The  country  to 
Uie  north  is  occupied  by  the  Chippeway  tribe  of  Indifins ;  that  to  the 
east  by  the  Winnebaeos,  and  that  to  the  west  by  the  powerful  tribe  of 
Sioux  or  Dacotahs,  who  range  over  the  whole  prairie  territory  between 
the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  rivers. 

The  river  here  is  so  constantly  divided  by  numerous  islands,  that  its 
great  width  i9  not  discernible:  it  seldom  has  less  than  two  or  three  chan- 
nels, and  often  more :  it  courses  through  a  succession  of  bold  bluffs,  ris- 
ing sometimes  perpendicularly,  and  always  abruptly  from  the  banks  or 
AtS,  land,  occasionally  diversified  by  the  prairies,  which  descend  to  the 
edge  of  the  stream.^  These  bluffs  arc  similar  to  those  I  have  described 
in  the  Wisconsin  river  and  Prairie  du  Chien^  but  are  on  a  grander  scale, 
and  are  surmounted  by  horizontal  layers  of  limestone  rock.  The  islands 
are  all  covered  with  small  timber  and  brushwood,  and  in  the  spring,  be- 
fore the  leaves  have  burst  out,  and  the  freshets  come  down,  the  river 
rises  so  as  to  cover  the  whole  of  them,  and  then  you  behold  the  width 
and  magnificence  of  this  vast  stream.  On  the  second  day  we  arrived 
at  Lake  Pepin,  which  is  little  more  than  an  expansion  of  the  river,  or  ra- 
ther a  portion  of  it  without  islands.  On  the  third,  we  made  fast  to  the 
"wharf,  abreast  of  the  American  Fur  Company's  Factorv,  a  short  dist- 
ance below  the  mouth  of  the  River  St.  Peters.  Fort  Snelling  is  about  a 
mile  from  the  factory,  and  is  situated  on  a  steep  promontory,  in  a  com- 
manding position;  it  is  built  of  stone,  and  may  be  considered  as  im- 


spTendid  prairie,  running 


pregnable  to  any  attempt  which  the  Indians  might  make,  provided  that 
It  has  a  sufficient  garrison.    Behind  it  is  asple 
back  for  many  miles. 

The  Falls  of  St  Anthony  are  not  very  imposing,  although  not  dc 
Toid  of  beauty.  You  cannot  see  the  whole  of  the  falls  at  one  view,  as 
they  are  divided  like  those  of  Niagara,  by  a  large  island,  about  one  third 
of  the  distance  from  the  eastern  shore.  The  river  which  as  you  ascend- 
ed, poured  through  a  bed  below  the  strata  of  calcareous  rock,  now  rises 
above  the  limestoneformation ;  and  the  large  masses  of  this  rock,  which 
at  the  falls  have  been  thrown  down  in  wild  confusion  over  a  width  of 
from  two  hundred  to  two  hundred  and  fitly  yards,  have  a  very  pictu- 
resque efFect.  The  falls  themselves,  I  do  not  think,  are  more  than  from 
thirty  to  thirty-five  feet  high ;  but  with  rapids  above  and  below  them, 
the  descent  of  the  river  is  said  to  be  more  than  one  hundred  feet.  Like 
those  of  Niagara,  these  falls  have  constantly  receded,  and  are  still  re- 
ceding. 

Here,  for  the  first  time,  I  consider  that  I  have  seen  the  Indians  in  their 

Erimitive  state ;  for  till  now  all  that  I  had  fallen  in  with  have  been  debased 
y  intercourse  with  the  whites,  and  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors.  The 
Winnebagos  at  Prairie  du  Chien  were  almost  always  in  a  state  of  in- 
toxication, as  were  the  other  tribes  at  Mackinaw,  and  on  the  Lakes. 
The  Winnebagos  are  considered  the  dirtiest  race  of  Indians,  and  with 


'^^^\ 


DUSmr  AMBIUCA. 


Ill 


(he  worst  qualities :  they  were  formerlf  designated  by  the  French, 
Pttans,  a  term  sufBoientfjr  explanatory.  When  I  was  at  Prairie  da 
Chien,  a  circumstance  which  nad  occurred  there  in  the  previoas  winter 
was  narrated  to  itte.  In  many  points  of  manners  and  customs  the  red 
men  have  a  strong  analogy  with  the  Jewish  tribes :  amone  others,  afi 
eye  for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth,  is  most  strictly  adhered  to.  |f 
an  Indian  of  one  tribe  is  killed  by  an  Indian  of  another,  the  murderer  ia 
demanded,  and  must  either  be  given  up,  or  his  lift  must  be  taken  by  his 
own  tribe:  if  not,  a  feud  between  the  two  nations  would  be  the  inevi- 
table result.  It  appeared  that  a  young  Menonnomie,  in  a  drunken  fray, 
had  killed  a  Winnebago,  and  the  culprit  was  demanded  by  the  head 
men  of  the  Winnebago  tribe.  A  council  was  hekl ;  and  instead  of  the 
Menonnomie,  the  chiefs  of  the  tribe  offered  them  whisky.  The  Win- 
nebagos  could  not  resist  the  temptation ;  and  it  was  agreied  that  ten  gal> 
Ions  of  whisky  should  be  produced  by  the  Menonnomies,  to  be  drunk 
by  all  parties'  over  the  grave  of  the  deceased.  The  squaws  of  the 
Menonnomie  tribe  had  to  dig  ,the  grave,  as  is  the  custom,  — <-  a  task  of 
no  little  labor,  as  the  ground  was  frozen  hard  several  feet  below  the 
surface. 

The  body  was  laid  in  the  grave ;  the  mother  of  the  deceased,  with 
the  rest  of  the  Winnebago  squaws,  howling  over  it,  and  denouncing 
vengeance  against  the  murderer ;  but  in  a  short  time  the  whisky  made 
its  appearance,  and  they  all  set  too  to  drink.  In  an  hour  they  were  all 
the  best  friends  in  the  world,  and  all  very  drunk.  The  old  squaw  mo- 
ther was  hugging  the  murderer  of  her  son ;  and  it  was  a  scene  of  in- 
toxication which,  in  the  end,  left  the  majority  of  the  parties  assembled, 
for  a  time,  quite  as  dead  as  the  man  in  the  grave.  Such  are  the  effects 
of  whisky  upon  these  people,  who  have  been  destroyed  much  more  ra- 
pidly by  spirituous  liquors  than  by  all  the  wars  which  they  hftve  en- 
gaged in  against  the  whites. 

The  Sioux  are  a  large  band,  and  are  divided  into  six  or  seven  differ- 
ent tribes  ;  they  are  said  to  amount  to  from  27,000  to  30,000.  They  are,  or 
have  been,  constantly  at  war  with  the  Ghippeways  to  the  north  of 
them,  and  with  Saucs  and  Foxes,  a  small  but  very  warlike  hand,  re- 
siding to  the  south  of  them,  abreast  of  Des  Moines  River.  The  Si- 
oux have  fixed  habitations  as  well  as  tents ;  their  tents  are  large  and 
commodious,  made  of  buffalo  skins  dressed  without  the  hair,  and  very 
oflen  handsomely  painted  on  the  outside.  I  went  out  about  nine  miles 
to  visit  a  Sioux  village  on  the  borders  of  a  small  lake.  Their  lodges 
were  built  cottage-fashion,  of  small  fir-poles,  erected  stodcadewise,  and 
covered  inside  and  out  with  bark ;  the  roof  also  of  bark  Mrith  a  hole  in 
the  centre  for  the  smoke  to  escape  through.  I  entered  one  of  thete 
lodges:  the  interior  was  surrounded  by  a  continued,  bed-place  round 
three  of  the  sides,  about  three  feet  from  the  floor,  and  on  the  platform 
was  a  quantity  of  buffalo  skins  and  pillows ;  the  fire  was  in  the  cen- 
tre, and  their  luggage  was  stowed  away  under  the  bed-places.  It  was 
very  neat  and  clean ;  the  Sioux  generally  are;  indeed,  particularly  so, 
compared  with  the  other  tribes  of  Indians.  A  missionary  resides  at 
this  village,  and  has  paid  great  attention  to  the  small  band  under  his 
care.  Their  patches  of  Indian  corn  were  clean  and  well  tilled ;  and 
although,  from  demi-civilization,  the  people  have  lost  much  of  their  na- 
tive grandeur,  still  they  are  a  fine  race,  and  well  disposed.  But  the  ma- 
jority of  the  Sioux  tribe  remain  in  their  native  state :  they  are  Jfforse  In- 
dians, as  those  who  live  on  the  prairies  are  termed  ;  and  although  many 
of  them  have  rifles,  the  majority  still  adhere  to  the  use  of  the  bow  and 
arrows,  both  in  their  war  parties  and  in  the  chase  of  the  buffalo. 


>l« 


DURY  IM  AIURIOA. 


Daring  the  time  that  I  passed  here,  there  were  several  games  of  ball 
played  between  different  oands,  and  for  considerable  stakes ;  one  waa 
played  on  the  prairie  close  to  the  house  of  the  Indian  agent.  The  In- 
dian game  of  ball  is  somewhat  similar  to  the  game  of  golf  in  Scotland, 
with  tliis  difference,  that  the  sticks  used  by  tlie  Indians  have  a  small 
network  racket  at  the  6nd,  in  which  they  catch  the  ball  and  run  away 
with  it,  as  far  as  they  are  permitted,  towards  the  goal,  before  they  throw 
it  in  that  direction.  It  is  one  of  the  most  exciting  games  in  the  world, 
and  requires  the  greatest  activity  and  address.  It  is,  moreover,  render- 
ed celebrated  in  American  History  from  the  circumstance  that  it  was 
used  as  a  stratagem  by  the  renowned  leader  of  the  northern  tribes,  Pon- 
tiac,  to  surprise  in  one  day  all  the  English  forts  on  and  near  to  the  lakes, 
a  short  time  after  the  Canadas  had  been  surrendered  to  the  British.  At 
Mackinaw  they  succeeded,  and  put  the  whole  garrison  to  the  sword,  aa 
they  did  at  one  or  two  smeuler  posts ;  but  at  Detroit  they  were  foiled  by 
the  plan  having  been  revealed  by  one  of  the  squaws. 

Pontiac's  plan  was  as  follows.  Pretending  the  greatest  good-will 
and  friendship,  a  game  of  ball  was  proposed  to  be  played;  on  the  same 
day,  at  all  the  different  outposts,  for  the  amusement  of  the  garrisons. 
The  interest  taken  in  the  game  would,  of  course,  call  out  a  proportion 
of  the  o$cer9  and  men  to  witness  it.  The  squaws  Were  stationed  close 
to  the  gates  of  the  fort,  with  the  rifles  of  the  Indians  out  short,  con- 
cealed nnder  their  blankets.  The  ball  was,  as  if  by  accident,  thrown 
into  the  fort :  the  Indians,  as  usual,  were  to  rush  in  crowds  after  it ;  by 
this  means  tney  were  to  enter  the  fort,  receiving  their  rifles  from  their 
squaws  as  they  hurried  in,  and  then  slaughter  the  weakened  and  un<< 
prepared  gamsons.  Fortunately,  Detroit,  the  most  important  post, 
ana  against  which  Pohtiac  headed  the  stratagem  in  person,  was  saved 
by  the  previous  information  given  by  the  squaw:  not  that  she  had  any 
intention,  to  betray  him,  but  the  commanding  oflicer  having  employed 
her  to  make  him  several  pair  of  moccasins  out  of  an  elk  skm,  desiring 
her  to  take  the  remainder  of  the  skin  for  the  same  purpose ;  this  she 
refused,  saying  it  was  of  no  use,  as  he  would  never  see  it  again.  Thia 
remark  excited  his  suspicions,  and  led  to  the  discovery. 

The  game  played  before  the  fort  when  I  was  jiresent  lasted  nearly 
two  hours,  during  which  I  had  a  good  opportunity  of  estimating  tho 
agility  of  the  Indians,  who  displayed  a  great  deal  of  mirth  and  humor 
at  the  same  time.  But  the  moat  curious  effect  produced  was  by  the  cir- 
cumstance, that  having  divested  themselves  of  all  their  garments  ex- 
cept their  middle  clothing,  they  had  all  of  them  fastened  behind  them  a 
horse's  tail;  and  as  they  swept  by,  in  their  cha^e  of  the  ball,  with  their 
tails  streaming  to  the  wind,  I  really  almost  made  up  my  mind  that  such 
an  appendage  was  rather  an  improvement  to  a  man's  nguro  than  other- 
wise. 

While  I  was  there  a  band  of  Sioux  from  the  Lac  qui  park,  (so  na- 
med from  a  remarkable  echo  there,)  distant  about  two  hundred  and 
thirty  miles  from  Port  Snelling,  headed  by  Mons.  Rainville,  came 
down,  on  a  visit  to  the  American  Fur  Company's  factory.  Monsieur 
Rainville,  (or  de  Rainville,  as  he  told  me  was  his  real  name,)  is,  he  as- 
sertS)  descended  from  one  of  the  best  families  in  France,  which  for-> 
merly  settled  in  Canada,  He  is  a  holfrbreed,  his  father  being  a  French-^ 
man,  and  his  mother  a  Sioux ;  his  wife  is  also  a  Sioux,  so  that  hia 
family  are  three-quarters  red.  He  had  been  residing  many  years  with 
the  Sioux  tribes,  trafficking  with  them  for  -peltry,  and  has  been  very 
judicious  in  his  treatment  of  them,  not  intertering  with  their  pursuits  of 
nuntiqg;  he  has,  moreover,  to  a  certain  degree  civilij^ed  themi  wd  ob* 


m- 


MART  IN  AMERICA. 


Ill 


tained  great  power  over  them.  He  has  induced  the  baud  who  reside 
with  him  to  cultivate  a  sufliciencjr  of  ground  for  their  sustenance,  but 
they  still  course  the  prairie  on  their  fiery  horses,  and  follow  up  the  chaie 
of  the  buffalo.  They  adhere  also  to  their  paint,  their  dresses,  and  their 
habits,  and  all  who  compose  his  band  are  first-rate  warriors ;  but  they 
are  all  converted  to  Christianity. 

Latterly  two  missionaries  have  been  sent  out  to  his  assistance.  The 
Dacotah  language  has  been  reduced  to  writing,  and  most  of  them,  if 
not  all,  can  write  and  read.  I  have  now  in  my  possession  an  element- 
ary spelling-book,  and  Watt's  catechism,  printed  at  Boston,  in  the  Sioiuc 
tongue,  and  many  letters  and  notes  given  to  me  by  the  missionaries, 
written  to  them  by  the  painted  warriors ;  of  course,  they  do  not  touch 
spirituous  liquors.  The  dress  of  the  band  which  came  down  with  Mr. 
Rainville  was  peculiarly  martial  and  eleerant.  Their  hair  is  divided 
in  long  plaits  in  front,  and  ornamented  with  rows  of  circular  silver 
buckles ;  the  ear  is  covered  with  ear-rings  up  to  the  top  of  it,  and  on  the 
crown  of  the  head  they  wear  the  war-eagles  feathers,  to  which,, they 
are  entitled  by  their  exploits.  The  war-eagle  is  a  small  one  df  the 
genus,  but  said  to  be  so  fierce  that  it  will  attack  and  destroy  the  largest 
of  his  kind ;  the  feathers  are  black  about  three  inches  down  from  the 
tips,  on  each  side  of  the  stem,  the  remainder  being  white.  These  fea- 
thers are  highly  valued,  as  the  bird  is  scarce  and  difiiculttokiU.  I  saw 
two  very  fine  feathers  carried  by  a  Sioux  warrior  on  the  point  of  his 
spear,  and  I  asked  him  if  he  would  part  with  them.  He  refused,  say- 
ing  that  they  cost  too  dear.  I  asked  him  how  much,  and  he  replied 
that  he  had  given  a  very  fine  horse  for  them.  For  every  scalp  taken 
from  the  enemy,  or  grisly  bear  killed,  an  Indian  is  entitled  to  wear  one 
feather  and  no  more ;  and  this  rule  is  never  deviated  from.  VT ere  aa 
Indian  to  put  on  more  feathers  than  he  is  entitled  to,  he  would  be  im- 
mediately disgraced.  Indeed,  you  can  among  this  primitive  people 
know  all  their  several  merits  as  warriors.  I  have  now  the  shield  of 
Yank-ton  Sioux,  a  chief  of  a  tribe  near  the  Missouri.  In  the  centre  is 
a  black  eagle,  which  is  his  totem,  or  heraldic  distinction ;  on  each  side 
hang  war-eagle's  feathers  and  small  locks  of  human  haur,  denoting  the 
number  of  scalps  he  has  taken,  and  below  are  smaller  feathers,  equal  to 
the  number  of  wounds  he  has  received.  These  warriors  of  Mr.  Rain- 
ville's  were  constantly  with  me,  for  they  knew  that  I  was  an  English 
warrior,  as  they  called  me,  and  they  are  very  partial  to  the  English.  It 
was  reaily  a  pleasing  sieht,  and  a  subject  for  meditation,  to  see  one  of 
these  fine  fellows,  dressed  in  all  his  wild  magnificence,  with  his  buffalo 
robe  on^is  shoulders,  and  his  tomahawk  by  his  side,  seated  at  a  table, 
and  writing  out  for  me  a  Sioux  translation  of  the  Psalms  of  David. 

Mr.  Rainville's  children  read  and  write  Endish,  French,  and  Sioux. 
They  are  modest  and  well-behaved,  as  the  Indian  women  generally 
are.  They  had  prayers  every  evening,  and  I  used  to  attend  them.  The 
warriors  sat  on  the  floor  rOund  the  room ;  the  missionary,  with  Mr. 
Rainville  and  his  family,  in  the  centre;  and  they  all  sang  remarkably 
well.  This  system  with  these  Indians  is,  in  my  opinion,  very  good. 
All  their  fine  qualities  are  retained ;  and  if  the  system  be  pursued,  I 
have  no  doubt  but  that  the  sternness  and  less  defensible  portions  of  their 
characters  will  be  gradually  obliterated. 

A  half-breed,  of  the  name  of  Jack  Fraser,  came  up  with  us  in  the 
steamboat.  He  has  been  admitted  into  one  of  the  bands  of  Sioux  who 
live  near  the  river,  and  is  reckoned  one  of  the  bravest  of  their  warriors. 
I  counted  twenty-eight  notches  on  the  handle  of  his  tomahawk,  every 
one  denoting  a  scalp  taken,  and  when  dressed  he  wears  eagle's  feathen 

1Q« 


114 


MART  Iir  AMERICA. 


to  that  amount.  He  was  a  fine  intellectual-looking  man.  I  conversed 
with  him  throueh  the  interpreter,  and  ho  told  me  that  the  only  man  that 
he  wished  to  km  was  hit  father.  On  inquiring  why,  he  replied  that 
his  father  had  broken  his  word  with  him ;  that  he  Had  promised  to  make 
a  white  man  of  him,  (that  is,  to  have  educated  him,  and  brought  him  up 
in  a  civilized  manner,)  and  that  he  had  left  him  a  Sioux.  One  could 
not  help  admiring  the  thirst  fur  knowledge  and  the  pride  shown  by 
this  poor  fellow,  although  mixed  up  with  their  inveterate  passion  for 
revenge. 

The  following  story  is  told  of  Jack  Fraser : — When  he  was  a  lad  of 
twelve  years  old,  he  was,  with  three  other  Sioux  Indians,  captured  by 
the  Chippeways.  At  that  period  these  tribes  were  not  at  war,  but  they 
were  preparing  for  it;  the  Chippeways,  therefore,  did  not  kill,  but  they 
insulted  all  the  Sioux  who  fell  into  their  hands. 

The  greatest  affront  to  a  Sioux  is  to  cut  oif  his  hair,  which  is  worn 
Tery  long  before  and  behind,  hanging  down  in  nlaits  ornamented  with 
silver  brooches.  The  Chippeways  cut  off  the  nair  of  the  three  Sioux 
Indians,  and  were  about  to  do  the  same  office  for  Jack,  when  he  threw 
them  oft,  telline  them  that  if  they  wanted  his  hair,  they  must  take  it  with 
the  scalp  attached  to  it. 

This  boldness  on  the  part  of  a  boy  of  twelve  years  old  astonished  the 
Chippeways,  and  they  all  put  their  hands  to  their  mouths,  as  the  In- 
dians  always  do  when  they  are  v^y  much  surprised.  They  deter- 
mined, however,  to  ascertain  if  Jack  wa»  really  as  orave  as  he  appearei) 
to  be,  and  whether  he  had  fortitude  to  bear  pam. 

One  of  the  chiefs  refilled  his  pipe,  and  put  the  hot  bowl  of  it  to  Jack's 
nether  quarters,  and  kepi  it  there  in  close  contact  until  he  had  burnt  a 
hole  in  his  flesh  as  wide  as  a  dollar,  and  half  an  inch  deep.  Jack  never 
flinched  during  the  operation,  and  the  Indians  were  so  pleased  with  him 
that  they  not  only  allowed  Jack  to  retain  his  haur,  but  they  gave  hira 
his  liberty. 

The  Sioux  are  said  to  be  very  honest,  except  on  the  point  of  stealing 
horses ;  but  this,  it  must  be  recollected,  is  a  part  of  their  system  of  war- 
fare, and  is  no  more  to  be  considered  as  stealing,  than  is  our  taking 
merchant-vessels  on  the  high  seas.    Indeed,  what  are  the  vast  rolling 

Erairies  but  as  the  wide  ocean,  and  their  armed  bands  that  scour  them 
ut  men-of-war  and  privateers,  and  the  horses  which  they  capture  but 
unarmed  or  defenceless  convoys  of  merchant- vessels  1  But  sometimes 
they  steal  when  they  are  not  at  w^ar,  and  this  is  fsom  the  force  of  habit, 
ana  their  irresistible  desire  to  possess  a  fine  horse.  Mr.  Rainville 
informed  me  that  three  hundred  dollars  was  a  very  common  price  for 
a  good  horse,  and  if  the  animal  was  very  remarkable,  swift,  and  well- 
trained  for  buffalo-hunting,  they  would  give  any  sum  (or  the  equivalent 
for  it)  that  they  could  command. 

In  many  customs  the  Sioux  are  closely  allied  to  the  Jewish  nation ; 
indeed,  a  work  has  been  published  in  America  to  prove  that  the  Indians 
were  originally  Jews.  There  is  always  a  separate  lodge  for  the  woman 
to  retire  to  before  and  afler  cliildbirth,  observing  a  similar  purification 
to  that  prescribed  by  Moses.  Although  there  ever  will  be,  m  all  socie- 
ties, instances  to  the  contrary,  chastitv  is  honored  among  the  Sioux. 
They  hold  what  they  term  Virgin  f^easts,  and  when  these  are  held, 
should  any  young  woman  accept  the  invitation  who  has  by  her  miscon- 
duct rendered  herself  unqualified  for  it,  it  is  tlie  duty  of  any  man  who  is 
aware  of  her  unfitness,  to  go  into  the  circle  and  lead  her  out.  A  cir- 
cumstance of  this  kind  occurred  the  other  day,  when  the  daughter  of  a 
eolebrated  chief  gave  a  Virgin  Feast.  A  young  uan  of  the  tribe  walked 


DIAIIY  IK  AMtRICA, 


119 


into  the  circle  and  led  her  out ;  upon  which  the  chief  led  his  daughter  to 
the  lodee  of  the  young  Sioux,  and  told  him  that  he  gave  her  to  him  fur 
his  wile,  but  the  young  man  refused  to  take  her,  as  bein^  unworthy. 
But  what  is  more  Bineular,  (and  I  have  it  from  authority  which  is 
unquestionable,)  they  also  hold  VirgiVi  Feasts  for  the  young  men ;  and 
should  any  young  man  take  his  seat  there  who  is  unqualified,  the 
woman  who  is  aware  of  it  must  lead  him  out,  although,  in  so  doing, 
she  convicts  herself;  nevertheless,  it  is  considered  a  sacred  duty,  and 
ia  done. 
The  shells  found  in  their  western  rivers  are  very  interesting.    I  had 

{>romised  to  procure  some  for  Mr.  Lee,  of  Philadelphia,  and  an  old  squaw 
kad  been  dispatched  to  obtain  them.  She  brought  me  a  large  quantity, 
and  then  squatted  down  by  my  side.  I  was  seated  on  the  stone  steps 
before  the  door,  and  commenced  opening  and  cleaning  them  previous  to 
packing  them  up.  She  watched  me  very  attentively  for  half  an  hour, 
and  then  got  up,  and  continued,  as  she  walked  away,  to  chuckle  and  talk 
aloud.  "  Do  you  know  what  the  old  woman  says  r'  said  the  old  Ca- 
nadian interpreter  to  me :  "she  says,  tlie  man's  a  fool ;  he  keeps  the  shells, 
and  throws  the  meat  away." 

The  Frencli  Canadians,  who  are  here  employed  by  the  Fur  Company, 
are  a  strange  set  of  people.  There  is  no  law  here,  or  appeal  to  luw ;  yet 
they  submit  to  authority,  and  are  managed  with  very  little  trouble.  They 
bind  themself  for  three  years,  and  durmg  that  time  (little  occasional  de' 
viations  being  overlooked)  they'work  diligently  and  faithfully ;  ready  at 
all  seasons  and  all  hours,  and  never  complaining,  although  the  work  ia 
often  extremely  hard.  Occasionally  they  return  to  Canada  with  their 
earnings,  but  the  major  part  have  connected  themselves  with  Indian 
women,  and  have  numerous  families ;  for  children  in  this  fine  climate 
ere  so  numerous,  that  they  almost  appear  to  s{)ring  from  the  earth. 

While  I  remained  at  St.  Peters  one  or  two  of  the  settlers  at  Red  River 
came  down.  Red  River  is  a  colony  established  by  Lord  Selkirk,  and 
at  present  is  said  to  be  composed  of  a  population  of  four  thousand.  Thia 
settlement,  which  is  four  degrees  of  latitude  north  of  St.  Peters,  has  pro- 
ved very  valuable  to  the  Hudson  Bay  company,  who  are  established 
there ;  most  of  their  servants  remaining  at  it  after  their  three  years'  ser^ 
vice  is  completed,  and  those  required  to  be  hired  in  their  stead  being  ob- 
tained from  the  settlement.  Formerly  they  had  to  send  to  Montreal  for 
their  servants,  and  those  discharged  went  to  Canada  and  spent  their 
money  in  the  provinces ;  now  that  they  remain  at  the  settlement,  the  sup- 
plies coming  almost  wholly  from  the  stores  of  the  Company,  the  money 
returns  to  it,  and  they  procure  their  servants  without  trouble.  These 
settlers  informed  me  that  provisions  were  plentiful  and  cheap,  beef  being 
.sold  at  about  two  pence  per  lb. ;  but  they  complained,  and  very  natural- 
ly, that  there  was  no  market  for  their  produce,  so  that  if  the  company 
did  not  purchtise  it,  they  must  consume  it  how  they  could ;  besides  that 
the  supply  being  much  greater  than  the  demand,  of  course  favour  waa 
shown.  This  had  disgusted  many  of  the  settlers,  who  talked  of  coming 
down  further  south.  One  of  the  greatest  inducements  for  remaining  at 
Red^River,  and  which  occasioned  the  population  to  be  so  numerous,  was 
the  intermixture  by  marriage  with  the  Indian  tribes  surrounding  them. 
They  do  not  like  to  return  to  Canada  with  a  family  of  half-breeds,  who 
would  not  there  be  looked  upon  with  the  same  consideration  as  their 
parents. , 

I  give  the  substance  of  this  conversation,  without  being  able  to  sub- 
stantiate how  far  it  is  true :  the  parties  who  gave  me  the  information 
were  certainly  to  be  classed  tunong.that  portion  of  the  settlers  who  wera 
discontented. 


116 


0IART  IN  AMniCA. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Fort  S.m ellino  is  well  built,  and  beautifully  lituated :  as  usual  I 
found  the  officers  gentlemanlike,  intelligent,  and  hospitable ;  and,  to- 
gether with  their  wives  and  families,  the  society  was  the  most  agrcea- 
ble  that  I  became  acquainted  with  in  America.  They  are  better  sup- 
plied hero  than  either  at  Fort  Crawford  or  Fort  Winnebago,  having  a 
fine  stock  of  cuttle  on  thcpi-airic,  and  an  extensive  garden  cultivated  for 
the  use  of  the  garrison.  The  principal  amusement  of  the  officers  is,  as 
may  be  sujpposed,  the  chase ;  there  is  no  want  of  game  in  tlie  season, 
and  they  nave  some  very  good  dogs  of  every  variety.  And  I  here 
had  tlie  pleasure  of  falling  in  with  Captain  Scott,  one  of  the  first  Nim- 
rods  of  the  United  States,  and  who,  perhaps,  has  seen  more  of  every  va- 
riety of  hunting  than  any  other  person.  His  reputation  as  a  marksman 
is  very  great ;  and  there  is  one  ieut  which  he  has  often  performed  that 
appears  almost  incredible.  Two  potatoes  being  thrown  up  in  the  air, 
he  will  watch  his  opportunity  and  pass  his  rifle  ball  throu";n  them  both. 
I  had  long  conversations  with  him ;  and  as  from  his  celebrity,  he  may 
be  accounted  a  public  character,  I  use  no  ceremony  in  amusing  my 
readers  with  two  or  three  personal  anecdotes  which  ne  related  tome. 

First — Showing  how  it  was  that,  in  his  after  life,  Captain  Scott  be* 
came  so  celebrated  a  hunter : — 

"  I  was  hardly  twelve  years  old,  and  had  never  been  allowed  to  go 
out  gunning,  although  I  was  permitted  to  rest  my  father's  gun  upon  a 
rail  when  he  returned  home  with  it  charged,  and  fire  it  off  in  that  way  : 
and  that  was  the  greatest  pleasure  I  then  knew.  We  lived  at  Bedding- 
ton,  in  the  State  of  Vermont,  where  I  was  born.  One  morning  they 
brought  down  the  intelligence  that  three  bears  had  been  seen  near  the 
mill,  about  a  mile  from  my  father's  house.  The  whole  country  turned 
out,  some  with  rifles,  and  others  with  what  weapons  they  could  get ; 
the  blacksmith  shouldered  his  sledgehammer,  the  labourer  his  pitch- 
fork ;  for  all  I  know  to  the  contrary,  the  barber  carried  his  pole.  iThere 
were  two  other  boys,  my  companions,  but  older  than  me,  whose  names 
were  Pratt ;  they  went  out  and  carried  guns.  The  chase  proved  to  be 
an  old  she  bear,  a  grey-nose,  as  they  are  termed,  with  her  two  cubs. 
One  of  the  boys  had  been  stationed  on  a  road  near  the  mill,  more  to 
keep  him  out  of  harm's  way  than  any  thing  else;  but  it  so  happened 
that  one  of  the  cubs  came  out  in  that  direction,  and  was  shot  by  him. 
The  people  fixed  the  bear's  carcase  on  two  poles,  mounted  him  on  it, 
and  carried  him  home  in  triumph.  I  can  nardly  express  what  were 
my  feelings  on  that  occasion,  although  time  has  not  obliterated  them  : 
I  was  dying  of  jealousy ;  young  Pratt  had  killed  a  bear,  and  I  had 
not. 

"  I  went  to  bed,  but  I  could  not  sleep  a  wink.  The  next  day  the 
chase  was  renewed,  and  it  so  happened  that,  much  in  the  same  way 
that  the  other  cub  was  killed  by  the  other  brother,  who,  in  the  same 
manner  was  carried  home  in  triumph.  I  thought  I  should  have  died 
that  night ;  it  was  on  a  Saturday  evening  when  they  returned  from 
this  second  expedition,  and  they-  did  not  go  out  the  next  day,  as  it  was 
the  Sabbath.  On  Sunday  evening  I  went  over  to  a  cross  old  man,  who 
had  a  good  dog,  and,  after  a  deal  of  persuasion,  I  obtained  the  loan  of 
it,  pledging  myself  before  another  party  that  if  it  was  not  returned  safe, 
I  would  pay  him  ten  dollars— rather  a  bold  promise  for  a  boy  to  make, 
who  had  never  had  more  than  twenty-five  cents  in  his  pocket  at  one 
time  during  his  life.    I  took  the  dog  to  my  bed-room,  tied  him  fast  t» 


DIARY  IN  AMERICA. 


m 


18  usual  I 
;  and,  to- 
iHt  agreed- 
belter  Bup- 
»,  having  a 
Iti voted  for 
IcorB  i»,  tt« 
the  season, 
\nd.  I  here 
I  first  Nini- 
of  every  >«- 
marksman 
formed  that 
p  in  the  air, 
[\  them  both, 
fity,  he  may 
musing  my 
ted  to  mo. 
in  Scott  be- 
llowed to  go 
gun  upon  a 
in  that  way  : 
[  at  Bedding- 
orning  they 
leen  near  the 
untry  turned 
f  could  ^et ; 
fer  his  pitch- 
pole.  There 
vhose  names 
proved  to  be 
ler  two  cubs, 
.nill,  more  to 
[so  happened 
^hotby  him. 
d  him  on  it, 
U  what  were 
[erated  them : 
and  I  had 


h: 


;    '  but  I  also  heard  a  rustling  on  the  bank  this  way.     Do  vou'look 
t  sharp  in  that  direction,  whilst  I  look  out  in  this.'     He  haa  hardly 


iny  wrist  that  he  might  not  escape  during  the  night,  and  tried  to  go  to 
sleep.  I  rose  before  auylight  on  Monday  mornine,  and  found  thai  tiiy 
father  had  discovered  that  1  had  employed  the  Sabbath  in  looking  fur  4 
dog  ;  and  in  conseaence,  as  he  was  a  very  strlot  man,  I  received  a  se- 
vere caning.  On  tnose  memorable  occasions,  he  always  used  to  halcl 
me  by  the  wrist  with  one  hand,  while  he  chastised  me  with  the  other, 
I  found  the  best  plan  was  to  run  round  him  as  fur<t  as  I  could,  which 
obliged  my  father  to  turn  round  after  me  with  thu  ntick,  and  then  in  u 
short  time  he  left  off ;  not  because  he  thought  I  had  enough,  but  because 
he'became  so  giddy  that  he  could  not  stand.  A  greater  punishment, 
however,  was  threatened — that  ofnotbeine  permitted  to  goto  the  bear- 
hunt,  which  was  to  take  place  on  that  day ;  but  I  pleaded  hard,  and  asked 
my  father  how  he  would  have  liked  it.  if  he  had  been  prevented  ft-oin 
oing  to  the  battle  of  B  ■  ■  ■  (where  nehad  very  much  distinguished 
imself).  This  was  taking  the  old  man  on  his  weak  side,  and  I  was, 
at  last,  permitted  to  be  present.  Then  there  arose  another  difficulty  :  I 
was  thought  too  little  to  carry  a  gun,  which  I  had  provided :  but  a  neigh-* 
bor,  who  nad  witnessed  mv  anxiety,  took  my  part,  said  tnat  he  would 
be  answerable  for  me,  and  that  I  should  not  quit  his  side  ;  so  at  last  all 
was  settled  to  my  satisfaction.  As  for  the  caning,  1  thought  nolluqgat 
all  of  that.         ' 

"  We  set  off,  and  before  we  reached  the  mill,  we  passed  a  hollow  j  the 
dog  barked  ftiriously,  and  I  let  him  go.  After  a  time  I  heard  a  noise  in 
a  bush.  '  Did  you  not  hear  V  said  I  to  my  neighbor. — '  Yes,'  replied 
hei  "  "  ■  ■  " 
out        . 

said  so,  'and  I  had  not  turned  my  head,  when  out  came  the  old  she- 
bear,  in  the  direction  where  my  neighbour  had  been  watching,  and  sat 
upon  her  hind  legs  in  a  clear  place.    My  ftriend  levelled  his  gun ;  to  my 
delight  he  had  forgotten  to  cock  it.      While  he  was  cocking  it,  the  bear 
dropped  down  on  tier  fore  legs,  and  I  Qred ;   the  ball  passed  through 
her  chest  into  her  shoulder.  She  was  at  Uiiat  time  on  the  brink  of  a  shelv« 
ing  quarry  of  sharp  stone,  down  which  she  retreated.    1  halloo'd  for  the 
dogj  and  followed,  slipping  and  tumbling  after  her,  for  I  was  mad  at 
the  idea  of  her  escaping  me.    Down  we  went  together,  the  dog  follow- 
ing;  when  we  arrived  at  the  bottom,  the  dog  seized  her.     She  was  so 
weak  that  she  supported  herself  against  a  rock ;  at  last  she  rolled  on  her 
back,  hugging  the  dog  in  her  fore  paws.    This  was  a  terrible  source  of 
alarm  to  me.     I  caught  the  dog  by  the  tail,  pulling  at  it  as  hard  as  I 
could  to  release  him,  crying  out,  although  no  one  was  near  me,  *'  Save 
the  dog->save  the  dog  —or  I'll  have  to  pay  ten  dollars."  But,  fortunately, 
the  bear,  although  she  held  the  dog  fast,  had  not  sufficient  strength  left 
to  kill  it.     Other  people  now  came  up;   my  own  musket  was  down 
the  bear's  throat,  where,  in  my  anxiety,  I  had  thrust  it;    one  of  them 
handed  me  his,  and  I  shot  the  bear  through  the  head.     Eveq  then,  so 
fearfVil  was  I  of  losingmy  prey,  that  I  seized  a  large  stone  and  beat  the 
animal  on  the  head  till  I  was  exhausted.      Then  I  had  my  triumph. 
The  Pratts  had  only  killed  bear-cubs ;    I  had  killed  a  ftiU-grown  bear, 
I  was,  as  you  may  suppose,  also  carried  home  upon  the  ii\nimar$  back } 
and  from  that  day  I  was  pointed  out  as  a  bear^hunter." 

Secondly.  <'  I  was  once  buffalo  hunting  in  Arkansas.  I  was  on  a 
strong  well-trained  horse,  pursuing  a  bull,  when  we  arrived  at  a  rent  op 
crack  in  the  prairie,  so  wide,  that  it  was  necessary  fur  the  animals  to 
leap  it.  The  bull  went  over  first,  and  I,  on  thehors^  following  it  close, 
rose  on  my  stirrupe,  craning  a  little,  that  I  might  perceive  the  width  of 
lite  rent.     At  that  moment  the  bull  turned  round  to  charge ;  the  horM 


118 


DIART  IK  AMERICA. 


I!  • 


perceiving  it,  and  knowino;  his  work,  immediately  wheeled  also.  This 
sudden  change  of  motion  threw  me  off  my  saddle,  and  I  remained  hang- 
ing by  the  side  of  the  horse,  with  my  leg  over  his  neck  :  there  I  was, 
hanging  on  only  by  my  leg,  with  my  head  downwards  below  the 
horse's  belly.  The  bull  rushed  on  to  the  charge,  ranging  up  to  the  flank 
of  the  horse  on  the  side  where  I  was  dangling,  and  the  horse  was  so  en- 
cumbered by  my  weieht  in  that  awkward  position,  that  each  moment 
the  bull  sained  upon  him.  At  last  my  strength  failed  me ;  I  felt  that  I 
could  hold  on  but  a  few  seconds  longer ;  the  head  of  the  bull  was  close 
to  me,  and  the  steam  from  his  nostrils  blew  into  my  face.  I  gave  my- 
self up  for  lost;  all  the  prayer  I  could  possibly  call  to  mind  at  the  time 
was,  the  flrst  two  lines  of  a  hymn  I  used  to  repeat  as  a  child — '  Lord 
now  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep;'  and  that  I  repeated  two  or  three  times, 
when,  fortunately,  the  horse  wheeled  short  round,  ev&ded  the  bull,  and 
leaped  the  gap.  The  bull  was  at  fault ;  the  jolt  of  the  leap,  after  nearly 
dropping  me  into  the  gap,  threw  me  up  so  nigh,  that  I  gained  the  neck 
of  my  horse,  and  eventually  my  saddle.  I  then  thought  of  my  rifle,  and 
found  that  I  had  held  it  grasped  in  my  hand  during  the  whole  time.  I 
wheeled  my  horse  and  resumed  the  chase,  and  in  a  minute  the  bull  was 
dead  at  my  horse's  feet." 

Thirdly.  "  I  was  riding  out  one  day  in  Arkansas,  and  it  so  hap- 
|)ened  I  had  not  my  rifle  with  me,  nor  indeed  a  weapon  of  any  descrip- 
tion, not  even  my  jack-knife.  As  I  came  upon  the  skirts  of  a  prairie, 
near  a  small  copse,  a  buck  started  out,  and  dashed  away  as  if  much 
alarmed.  I  thought  it  was  my  sudden  appearance  which  had  alarmed 
him  :  I  stopped  my  horse  to  look  after  him,  and  turning  my  eyes  after- 
wards in  the  direction  from  whence  it  had  started,  1  perceived,  as  I 
thought,  on  a  small  mound  of  earth  raised  by  an  animal  called  a  gopher, 
just  the  head  of  the  doe,  her  body  concealed  by  the  high  grass.  I  had 
no  armf,  but  it  occurred  to  me,  that  if  I  could  contrive  to  crawl  up  very 
soflly,  the  high  grass  might  conceal  my  approach,  and  I  should  oe  able 
to  spring  upon  her  and  secure  her  by  main  strength.  '  If  I  can  manage 
this,'  said  I  to  myself, '  it  will  be  something  to  talk  about.'  I  tied  my 
horse  to  a  tree,  and  commenced  crawling  very  soflly  on  my  hands  and 
knees  towards  the  gopher  hill ;  I  arrived  close  to  it,  and  the  doe  had 
not  started ;  I  rose  gently  with  both  hands  ready  for  a  grab,  and  pre- 
pared to  spring,  slowly  raising  my  head  that  I  might  get  a  sight  of  the 
animal.  It  appeared  that  the  animal  was  equally  inauisitive,  and  wish- 
ed to  gaih  a  sight  of  me,  and  it  slowly  raised  its  head  from  the  grass  as 
I  did  mine.  Imagine  what  was  my  surprise  and  consternation,  to  find 
that,  instead  of  a  doe,  I  was  face  to  face  with  a  large  male  panther.  It 
was  this  brute  which  had  so  scared  the  buck,  and  now  equally  scared 
me.  There  I  was,  at  hardly  one  yard's  distance  from  him,  without  arms 
of  any  description,  and  almost  in  the  paws  of  the  panther.  I  knew  that 
my  only  chance  was  keeping  my  eyes  fixed  steadfastly  on  his,  and  not 
moving  hand  or  foot;  the  least  motion  to  retreat  would  have  been  his 
signal  to  spring :  ro  there  I  was,  as  white  as  a  sheet,  with  my  eyes  fixed 
on  him.  Luckily  he  did  not  know  what  was  p  -  «sing  within  me.  For 
some  seconds  the  animal  met  my  gaze,  and  I  beg&i  i  to  give  myself  up  for 
lost.    'Tis  time  for  you  to  go,  thought  I,  or  I  am  gono :    will  you  never 

fol  At  last,  the  animal  blinked,  and  then  his  eyes  rpened  like  balls  of 
re ;  I  remained  fascinated  as  it  were ;  he  blinked  again,  turned  his 
head  a  very  little,  then  turned  round  and  went  away  at  a  light  canter. 
Imagine  the  relief.  I  hastened  back  to  my  horse,  and  away  also  went  I 
at  a  light  canter,  and  with  a  lighter  heait,  grateful  to  Heaven  for  hav« 
ing  preserved  me." 


m 


:'#■ 


DIARY  IN  AMERICA. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


119 


Ths  band  of  warriors  attached  to  Monsieur  Rainville  have  set  up 
their  war-tent  close  '<  the  factory,  and  have  entertained  us  with  u  va- 
riety of  dances.  I'heir  dresses  are  very  beautiful,  and  the  people,  who 
have  been  accustomed  to  witness  these  exhibitions  for  years,  say  that 
they  have  never  seen  any  thing  equal  to  them  before.  I  was  very  anx- 
ious to  obtain  one  of  them,  and  applied  to  Mr.  Rainville  to  effect,  my 
purpose ;  but  it  required  all  his  influence  to  induce  them  to  part  with  it, 
and  they  had  many  ar^ments  and  debates  amone  themselves  before  they 
could  make  up  their  minds  to  consent  to  do  so.  I  was  the  more  anxious 
about  it,  as  I  had  seen  Mr.  Catlin's^lendid  exhibition,  and  I  knew  that 
he  had  not  one  in  his  possession.  The  dress  in  question  consisted  of  a 
sort  of  kilt  of  fine  skms,  ornamented  with  beautiful  porcupine  quill- 
work,  and  eagle's  feathers;  garters  of  animals'  tails,  worn  at  their 
ankles ;  head-dress  of  eagle  s  feathers  and  ermine's  tails,  &c.  They 
made  little  objection  to  part  with  any  portions  of  the  dress  except  the 
kilt;  at  last  tney  had  a  meeting  of  the  whole  band,  as  the  dress  was  not 
the  property  of  any  one  individual ;  and  I  was  informed  that  the  war- 
riors would  come  and  have  a  talk  with  me. 

I  received  them  at  the  factory's  new  house,  in  my  room,  which  was 
large,  and  held  them  all.  One  came  and  presented  me  with  a  pair  of 
garters;  another  with  a  portion  of  the  head-dress;  another  with  moc- 
casins ^  at  last,  the  kilt  or  girdle  was  handed  to  me.  M.  Rainville  sat 
by  as  interpreter.  He  who  had  presented  me  with  the  kilt  or  girdle 
spoke  for  half  a  minute,  and  then  stopped  while  what  he  said  was  being 
interoreted. 

"  You  are  an  Englishman,  and  a  warrior  in  your  own  country.  You 
«ross  the  great  waters  as  fast  as  we  can  our  prairies.  We  recollect  the 
English,  and  we  like  them ;  they  used  us  well.  Thie  rifles  and  blan- 
kets which  they  gave  us,  according  to  promise,  were  of  good  quality  J 
not  like  the  American  goods ;  their  rifles  are  bad,  and  their  blankets 
are  thin.  The  English  keep  their  word,  and  they  live  in  our  me- 
mory." 

"  Ho  1"  replied  I ;  which  is  as  much  as  to  say,  I  understand  what 
you  have  said,  and  you  may  proceed. 

"  You  have  asked  for  the  dress  which  we  wear  when  we  dance;  we 
have  never  parted  with  one  as  yet ;  they  belong  to  the  band  of  war- 
riors; when  one  who  has  worn  a  dress  goes  to  the  land  of  spirits,  we 
hold  a  council,  to  see  who  is  most  worthy  to  put  it  on  in  his  place.  We 
Value  them  highly ;  and  we  tell  you  so  not  to  enhance  their  value,  but 
to  prove  what  we  will  do  for  an  English  warrior." 

"Ho!"  says  I. 

"  An  American,  in  the  fort,  has  tried  hard  to  obtain  this  dress  from 
us ;  he  offered  us  two  barrels  of  flour,  and  other  things.  You  know 
that  we  have  no  game,  and  we  are  hungry ;  but  if  he  had  offered 
twelve  barrels  of  flour,  we  would  not  have  parted  with  them.  (This 
was  true.)  But  our  father,  Rainville,  has  spoken;  and  we  have  plea- 
sure in  giving  them  to  an  English  warrior.    I  have  spoken." 

"  Ho!"  says  I;  upon  which  the  Indian  took  his  seat  with  the  others, 
and  it  was  my  turn  to  speak.  I  was  very  near  beginning,  "  Unaccus- 
tomed as  I  am  to  public  speaking;"  but  I  knew  that  such  an  acknow- 
ledgment would  in  their  estimation,  have  very  much  lessened  my  value 
as  a  warrior;  for,  like  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  one  must  be  as  valu- 
able in  the  council  as  in  the  field,  to  come  up  to  their  notions  of  excel- 
lence.   So  I  rose,  and  said— 


» 


Idd 


Diary  in  americAi 


•'  1  i-eceiVc  witi\sj»reat  pleasure  the  dress  which  you  have  givert  rtie.*" 
t  know  that  you  do  not  likts  to  part  with  it)  atid  that  you  havQ  refused 
the  American  at  the  foi^ :  and  I  therefore  value  it  the  more.  I  shall 
never  look  upon  it,  when  I  aw  on  the  Other  side  of  the  gfeat  Waters, 
without  thinking  of  my  friends  the  Sioux  j  and  I  will  tell  my  nation 
that  you  gave  them  to  me  because  1  was  an  English  warrior,  and  be' 
cause  you  liked  the  English/' 

*<  Ho  !"  grunted  the  whole  conclave,  after  this  was  interpreted. 

"  I  am  very  glad  that  you  do  not  forget  the  Eavlish,  and  that  you  say 
ihey  kept  their  word,  and  that  their  rifles  and  bibnkets  were  good.  I 
know  that  the  blankets  of  the';JAmericans  are  thin  and  roldi  (I  did  not 
think  it  worth  while  to  say  that  they  were  all  made  in  England.)  We 
have  buried  the  hatchet  now ;  but  should  the  tomahawk  be  raised  again 
betwfeen  the  Americans  and  the  English^  you  must  not  take  part  with  the 
Americansi"  \ 

"  Ho  I"  said  they. 

"  In  the  Fur  Compahy'a  storb  ybu  will  find  many  things  aedeptable  to 
you.  I  leave  Mr.  Rainville  to  select  for  you  what  you  wish  ;  and  beg 
you  will  receive  them  in  return  for  the  present  which  you  have  made 
me." 

*<  Ho !"  said  they ;  and  thiis  ehddd  tny  fifst  Indian  feounbit. 

It  is  reiifiarkablb  that  the  Sioux  have  no  expression  to  signify,  "I 
thank  you,"  although  other  Indians  hav^.  When  they  receive  a  present) 
they  always  say,  Wash  lay  i  it  is  good. 

Of  all  the  tribes  I  believO  the  Sioux  to  be  the  most  inimical  to  the 
Ameticatts.  They  have  no  hesitation  !in  openly  declaring  so ;  and  it 
must  be  acknowledged  that  it  is  not  without  just  grounds.  During  the 
time  that  I  was  at  St.  Peters,  a  council  was  held  at  the  Indian  agent's, 
it  appears  that  the  American  (Government,  in  its  paternal  care  for  the 
Indians,  had  decided  that  at  any  ttrike  taking  place  between  tribes  of 
tndians  near  to  the  confines^  nt)  war  should  take  place  in  consequence  : 
that  is  to  say,  that  sholild  any  Indians  of  one  tribe  attack  or  kill  any 
Indians  belonging  to  another,  tbat-instead  of  the  tribes  going  to  war,  they 
should  apply  for  and  receive  redress  from  the  American  Govemmenti 
Some  time  back,  a  party  of  Chippeways  came  down  to  a  trader's  house, 
about  half  a  mile  from  Port  Snelling.  Being  almost  hereditary  enemies 
of  the  Sioux,  they  were  fired  at,  at  night,  by  some  of  the  young  men  of 
the  Sioux  village  close  by,  and  two  of  the  Chippeways  were  wounded  < 
In  conformity  with  the  intimation  received,  and  the  law  laid  down  by  the 
American  Government,  and  promulgated  by  the  Indian  agent,  the 
Chippeways  applied  for  redress.  It  was  granted — four  Sioux  Were  taken 
and  shot.  Tnis  summary  justice]^ was  expected  to  produce  the  best 
effects,  and,  had  it  been  followed  up,  it  might  have  prevented  bloodshed  i 
but,  since  the  above  occurrence,  some  Chippeways  came  down,  and 
meeting  a  party  of  Sioux,  were  received  kindly  into  their  lodges  ;  they 
returned  this  hospitality  by  treacherously  muMering  eleven  of  the  Sioux, 
while  they  were  asleep.  This  time  the  SiOux  Brought  forward  theii? 
tomplaiht.  "  You  tell  us  not  to  go  to  war ;  we  will  hot ;  you  shot  four 
of  our  people  for  wounding  two  Chippeways ;  now  do  us  justice  against 
the  Chippeways,  who  have  murdered  eleven  of  our  Sioux."    As  yet  no 

i'ustiiee  has  been  done  to  the  Sioux.  The  fact  is,  that  the  Chippeways 
ive  &  long  Way  off;  and  thelre  are  not  su^cient  men  to  garrison  the  forty 
stilt  Idss  to  send  a  party  out  to  capture  the  Chippeways ;  and  the 
Sioux  are,  as  may  well  be  supposed,  indignant  at  this  partial  pro' 
Oeedingi  _^      _v=f 


% 


DIABY  IN  AHKKICA. 


ISl 


vert  ime."" 
iVQ  refused 
i.  I  shall 
jat  Waters, 
my  nation 
>r,  and  be- 

eted. 

hat  you  say 
re  good.  I 
(I  did  not 
land.)  We 
aised  again 
art  with  the 
\ 

e(iet>table  td 
sh ;  and  beg 
I  have  made 

it.  , 

►  signify,  "I 
ve  a  present) 

itnical  to  the 
ig  80 ;  and  it 
During  the 
idian  agent's, 
care  for  the 
[een  tribes  of 
ionsequence  : 
\  or  kill  any 
,tov»ar,  they 
iGovemmenti 
radet's  house, 
Itary  enemies 
roung  men  of 
^re  wounded* 
down  by  the 
I  agent,  the 
IX  Vvere  taken 
ice  the  best 
bloodshed  1 
down,  and 
edges  ;  they 
jof  the  Sioux, 
forward  theii 
;ou  shot  four 
istice  against 
As  yet  no 
Chippeways 
rison  the  fort, 
U;    and  the 
[partial  pw 


I  was  at  the  council,  and  heard  all  the  speeches  made  by  the  Sioux 
chiefs  on  the  occasion.    They  were  some  of  them  very  eloquent,  and 
occasionally  very  severe  ;  and  the  reply  of  the  Indian  agent  must  have 
rendered  the  American  Government  very  contemptible  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Indians — not  that  the  agent  w^is  so  much  in  fault  as  was  the  American 
Government,  which,  by  not  taking  proper  measures  to  put  their  promises 
and  agreements  into  force,  had  left  their  officer  in  such  a  position.  First, 
the  Indian  agent  said,  that  the  wounding  of  the  two  Chippeways  took 
place  close  to  the  fort,  and  that  it  was  on  account  of  the  insult  offered  to 
the  American  flag;  that  it  was  so  promptly  punished — a  very  different 
explanation,  and  quite  at  variance  with  the  principle  laid  down  by  the 
American  Government.    The  Indians  replied  ;  and  the  agent  then  said, 
that  they  had  not  sufficient  troops  to  defend  the  fort,  and,  therefore, 
could  not  send  out  a  party  ;  an  admission  very  unwise  to  make,  although 
strictly  true.     The  Indians  again  replied ;  and  then  the  agent  said,  wait 
a  little  till  we  hear  from  Washington,  and  then,  if  you  have  no  redress, 
you  are  brave  men,  you  have  arms  in  your  hands,  and  your  enemies  are 
before  you.     This  was  worse  than  all,  for  it  implied  the  inability  or  the 
indifference  of  the  American  Government  to  do  them  justice,  and  told 
the^,  after  that  government  had  distinctly  declared  that  they  should  fight 
liO  longer,  but  receive  redress  from  it,  that  they  now  might  do  what  the 
government  had  forbidden  them  to  doj  and  that  they  had  no  other  chance 
of  redress.     The  result  of  this  council  was  very  unsatisfactory.     The 
Indians  chiefs  declared  that  they  were  ashamed  to  look  their  people  in  the 
face,  and  walkfd  solemnly  away. 

To  make  this  matter  still  worse,  after  I  left  St.  Peters,  I  read  in  the 
St.  Louis  Gazette  a  report  of  some  Chippeways  having  come  down,  and 
that,  in  consequence  of  the  advice  given  by  the  Indian  agent,  the  Sipux 
had  taken  the  law  into  their  own  hands  and  murdered  some  of  the  Chip- 
peways ;  and  that  although  they  had  never  receiVed  redress  for  the 
murder  of  their  own  people,  some  of  the  Sioux  were  again  taken  and 
executed. 

The  arms  of  the  Sioux  are  the  rifle,  tomahawk,  and  bow  ;  they  carry 
spears  more  for  parade  than  use.  Their  bows  are  not  more  than  three 
feet  lung,  but  their  execution  with  them  is  surprising.  A  Sioux,  when  on 
horseback  chasing  the  buffalo,  will  drive  his  arrow  which  is  about  eighteen 
inches  long,  with  such  force  that  the  barb  shall  appear  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  animal.  And  one  of  their  greatest  chiefs,  Wanataw,  has  been 
known  to  kill  two  buffalos  with  one  arrow,  it  having  passed  through  the 
first  of  the  animals,  and  mortally  wounded  the  second  on  the  other  side 
of  it.  I  WHS  about  two  hundretl  yards  from  the  fort,  and  asked  a  Sioux 
if  he  could  send  his  arrow  into  one  of  the  apertures  for  air,  which  were 
near  the  foundation,  and  about  three  inches  wide.  It  appeared  more  like 
a  thread  from  where  we  stood.  He  took  his  bow,  and  apparently  with  a 
most  careless  aim  he  threw  the  arrow  rigiit  into  it. 

The  men  are  tall  and  straight,  and  very  finely  made,  with  the  exception 
of  their  arms,  which  are  too  small.  The  arms  of  the  squaws,  who  do  all 
the  labour,  are  much  more  muscular.  One  day,  as  I  was  on  the  prairie,  I 
witnessed  the  effect  of  custom  upon  these  people.  A  Sioux  was  coming 
up  without  perceiving  me  ;  his  squaw  followed  very  heavily  laden,  and 
to  assist  her  he  had  himself  a  large  package  on  his  shoulder.  xVs  soon  as 
they  perceived  me,  he  dropped  his  burthen,  and  it  was  taken  up  by  the 
squaw  and  added  to  what  she  had  already.  If  a  woman  wishes  to  up- 
braid another,  the  severest  thing  she  can  say  is,  "  you  let  your  husband 
carry  burthens."  11 


\i» 


blARV  IN  AMKSICA. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Lkft  St.  Peters.  Taking  the  two  varieties  in  the  mass,  the  Indians 
Iliust  be  acknowledged  the  most  perfect  gentlemen  in  America,  particu- 
larly  in  their  deportment.  It  was  with  regret  that  I  parted  with  my 
Ariends  in  the  fort,  my  kind  host,  Mr.  Sibley^  and  my  noble-minded 
warrior  Sioux.  I  could  have  remained  at  St.  Peters  for  a  year  with 
pleasure,  and  could  only  regret  that  life  was  so  short,  and  the  Mississippi 
so  long. 

There  is,  however,  one  serious  drawback  in  all  America  to  life  in  thd' 
woods,  or  life  in  cities,  or  every  other  kind  of  life  ;  which  is  the  manner, 

fo  where  you  will,  in  which  you  are  pestered  by  the  musquitoes. 
trangers  are  not  the  only  sufferers  ;  those  who  are  born  and  die  in  the 
country  are  equally  tormented,  and  it  is  slap,  slap,  slap,  all  day  and  all 
night  long,  for  these  animals  bite  through  everything  less  thick  than  a 
buffalo's  skin.  As  we  ascended  the  river  they  attacked  us  on  the  crown 
of  the  head — ^a  very  unusual  thing, — and  raised  swellings  'as  large  as 
pigeons'  eggs.  I  must  have  immolated  at  least  five  hundred  df  them 
Upon  my  bump  of  benevolence.  Whatever  people  may  think,  I  feel  that 
no  one  can  be  very  imaginative  where  thesu  animals  are  so  eternally 
tom.enting  them.  If  ou  meditate  under  the  shady  boughs  of  some  forest- 
king  (slap  knee,  slap  cheek),  and  farewell  to  anything  like  concentration 
of  thought ;  you  ponder  on  the  sailing  moon  (slap  again,  right  and  left, 
above,  below),  always  unpleasantly  interrupted.  It  won't  do  at  all ;  you 
are  teazed  and  phlebotomized  out  of  all  poetry  and  patience. 

It  is  midnight,  the  darkness  is  intense,  not  even  a  star  in  the  heavens 
above,  and  the  steam-boat  appears  as  if  it  were  gliding  through  a  current 
of  ink,  with  black  masses  rising  just  perceptible  on  either  s>ide  of  it ;  no 
sound  except  the  reiterated  notes  of  tlje  '« Whip  poor  Will,"  answered  by 
the  loud  coughing  of  the  high-pressure  engine.  Who,  of  those  in  exist- 
ence fifty  years  ago,  would  have  contemplated  that  these  vast  and  still 
untenanted  solitudes  would  have  had  their  silence  invaded  by  such  an 
unearthly  sound  1  a  sound  which  ever  gives  you  the  idea  of  vitality.  It 
is  this  appearance  of  breathing  which  makes  the  high-pressure  engine  the 
nearest  approach  to  creation  which  was  ever  attained  by  the  ingenuity 
of  man,  It  appears  to  have  respiration,  and  that  short,  quick  respiration 
occasioned  by  exertion ;  its  internal  operations  are  pei  formed  as  correctly 
and'as  mechanically  as  are  our  own  ;  it  is  as  easily  put  out  of  order  and 
rendered  useless  as  we  are  ;  ad  like  us,  it  can  only  continue  its  powers 
of  motion  W  being  well  supplied  with  aliment. 

'  Ran  up  Fever  River  to  Galena,  the  present  emporium  of  the  Mineral 
Country.  There  is  an  unpleasant  feeling  connected  with  the  name  of 
this  river ;  it  is,  in  fact,  one  of  the  American  translations.  It  was 
originally  called  FSve,  or  Bean  River,  by  the  French,  and  this  they  have 
construed  into  Fever.  The  Mineral  district  comprehends  a  tract  of 
country  running  about  one  hundred  miles  North  and  South,  and  fifty 
miles  East  and  West,  from  the  River  Wisconsin  to  about  twenty  miles 
south  of  Galena.  It  was  purchased  by  the  American  Government  about 
fifteen  years  ago,  the  northern  portion  from  the  Winnebagoes,  and  the 
southern  from  the  Saux  and  Fox  Indians.  The  Indians  used  to  work 
the  diggings  to  a  small  extent,  bringing  the  lead  which  they  obtained  to 
exchange  with  the  traders.     As  may  be  supposed,  they  raised  but  little, 


h 


'1 


01AR7   IN  AMERICA. 


139 


e  Indian* 
I,  particu- 
with  my 
le-minded 
year  with 
lississippi 

life  in  the 
e  manner, 
usquitoes. 
die  in  the 
ay  and  all 
ick  than  a 
the  crown 
8  large  as 
(1  of  them 
I  feel  that 
io  eternally 
)me  foresl- 
ncentration 
it  and  left, 
It  all ;  yo\l 

16  heavens 
•h  a  current 
3  of  it;  no 
nswered  by 
se  in  exist- 
tst  and  still 

by  such  an 
'itality.     It 

engine  the 
le  ingenuity 

respiration 

IS  correctly 
order  and 

its  powers 

le  Mineral 
[e  name  of 
It  was 
they  have 
|a  tract  of 
1,  and  fifty 
renty  miles 
nent  about 
ss,  and  the 
Ld  to  work 
Obtained  to 
but  little, 


the  whole  work  of  digging  and  smelting  being  carried  on  by  the  «quaw8. 
After  the  land  was  surveyed  a  portion  of  it  was  sold,  but  when  the 
minerals  made  their  appearance  the  fact  was  notified  by  the  surveyors  to 
the  government,  and  the  remaining  portions  were  withdrawn  from  the 
market.  A  license  was  granted  to  speculators  to  dig  the  ore  and  smelt 
it,  upon  condition  of  their  paying  to  the  government  a  per  centage  on  the 
mineral  obtained.  Those  who  found  a  good  vein  had  permission  to  work 
it  for  forty  yards  square,  on  condition  that  they  carried  the  ore  to  a  licensed 
smelter.  This  occasioned  a  new  class  of  people  to  spring  up  in  this 
speculative  country,  namely,  finders,  who  would  search  all  over  the  coun- 
try for  what  they  called  a  good  prospect,  that  is,  every  appearance  on 
the  surface  of  a  good  vein  of  metal.  This  when  found  they  would  sell 
to  others,  who  would  turn  diggers,  and  as  soon  as  these  finders  had 
spent  their  money,  they  would  range  over  the  whole  country  to  find 
another  prospect  which  they  might  dispose  of.  But  although  it  was 
at  first  supposed  that  the  government  had  retained  all  the  mineral  portion 
of  the  district  in  its  own  hands,  it  was  soon  discovered  that  nearly  the 
whole  country  was  one  continued  lead  mine,  and  that  there  was  an  equal 
supply  of  mineral  to  be  obtained  from  those  portions  which  had  been 
disposed  of.  Lead  was  found  not  only  in  the  mountajufis  and  ravine?,  but 
under  the  surface  of  the  wide  prairies.  As  the  lands  sold  by  government 
had  not  to  pay  a  per  centage  for  the  lead  raised  from  them,  those  who 
worked  upon  the  government  lands  refused  to  pay  any  longer,  aQserting 
that  it  was  not  legal.  The  superintendent  of  government  soon  found 
that  his  office  was  a  sinecure,  as  all  attempt  at  coercion  in  that  half-civi- 
lized country  would  have  been  not  only  useless  but  dangerous.  The  go- 
vernment have  gone  to  law  with  their  tenants,  but  that  is  of  no  avail, 
for  a  verdict  against  the  latter  would  not  induce  them  to  pay.  The  cause 
was  not  attempted  to  be  tried  at  Galena,  for  the  government  knew  what 
the  decision  of  the  jury  would  have  been,  but  it  is  contested  at  Vandalia. 
It  is  three  years  since  the  mines  have  paid  a  per  centage,  and  the  go- 
vernment are  now  advised  to  sell  all  their  reserved  lands,  and  thus  get 
rid  of  the  business.  How  weak  must  that  government  be  when  it  is 
compelled  to  submit  to  such  a  gross  violation  of  all  justice.  The  quan- 
tity of  mineral  found  does  not  appear  to  affect  the  quality  of  the  soil, 
which  ia  ds  fine  here,  if  not  finer,  than  in  those  portions  of  Wisconsin 
where  the  mineral  is  not  so  plentiful.  The  quantity  of  lead  annually 
smelted  is  said  to  amount  to  from  18,000,000  to  20,000,000  lbs.  Galena 
is  a  small  town,  picturesquely  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  but 
very  dirty. 

Iowa,  the  new  district  opposite  to  Wisconsin,  on  the  western  banks 
of  the  Misbissippi,  has,  in  all  probability,  a  large  proportion  of  metal  under 
its  surface.  When  it  was  in  the  possession  of  the  Sioux  Indians,  they 
used  to  obtain  from  it  a  considerable  portion  of  lead,  which  they  brought 
down  to  barter ;  and  I  am  inclined  to  think,  that  to  the  north  of  the 
Wisconsin  river,  they  will  find  no  want  of  minerals,  even  as  high  up  as 
Lake  Superior,  where  they  have  already  discovered  masses  of  native 
copper  weighing  many  tons  :  and  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  as  you 
proceed  south,  you  arrive  at  the  iron  mines,  or  rather  mountains  of  'iron, 
in  the  Missouri. 

After  you  proceed  south  of  Prairie  du  Chien,  the  features  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi river  gradually  change  ;  the  bluffs  decrease  in  number  and  in 
height,  until  you  descend  to  Rock  Island,  below  which  point  they  are 
rarely  to  be  met  with.     The  country  on  each  side  now  is  chiefly  composed 


1S4 


SIART  IN   AMERICA. 


of  variegated  rolling  prairies,  with  a  less  proportion  of  timber.  To  de« 
scribe  tnese  prairies  would  be  difficult ;  that  is,  to  describe  the  efiiect  of 
them  upon  a  stranger  :  I  have  found  myself  lost,  as  it  were ;  and  indeed 
sometimes,  although  on  horseback,  have  lost  myself,  having  only  the 
sun  for  my  guide.  Look  round  in  every  quarter  of  the  compass,  and  there 
you  are  as  if  on  the  ocean — not  a  landmark,  not  a  vestige  of  anything 
human  but  yourself.  Instead  of  sky  and  water,  it  is  one  vast  field, 
bounded  only  by  the  horizon,  its  surface  gently  undulating  like  the  waves 
of  the  oceau ;  and  as  the  wind  (which  always  blows  fresh  on  the  prairies) 
bows  down  the  heads  of  the  high  grass,  it  gives  you  the  idea  of  a  running 
swell.  Every  three  or  four  weeks  there  is  a  succession  of  beautiful 
flowers,  giving 'a  variety  of  tints  to  the  whole  map,  which  die  away  and 
are  succeeded  by  others  equally  beautiful ;  and  in  the  spring,  the  straw- 
berries are  in  such  profusion,  that  you  have  but  to  sit  down  wherever  you 
may  happen  to  be,  and  eat  as  long  as  you  please. 

We  stopped  at  Alton,  in  the  state  of  Missouri,  to  put  on  shore  three 
thousand  pigs  of  lead.  This  town  has  been  rendered  notorious  by  the 
murder — for  murder  it  was,  although  it  was  brought  on  by  his  own  in- 
tempecate  conduct — of  Mr.  Lovejoy,  who  is  now  raised  to  the  dignity  of 
a  martyr  by  the  abolitionists.  Alton  is  a  well-built  town,  of  stone,  and, 
from  its  locahty,  must  increase ;  it  is,  however,  spoilt  by  erection  of  a 
penitentiary  with  huge  walls,  on  a  most  central  and  commanding  situa- 
tion. I  read  a  sign  put  out  by  a  small  eating-house,  and  which  was  very 
characteristic  of  the  country — 

"  Stranger,  here's  your  chicken  fixings." 

Four  miles  below  Alton,  the  Missouri  joins  its  waters  with  the  Missis* 
sippi ;  and  the  change  which  takes  place  at  the  mingling  of  the  two 
streams  is  very  remarkable — the  clear  pellucid  current  of  the  upper  Mis- 
sissippi being  completely  extinguished  by  the  foul  mud  of  the  other  tur- 
bid and  impetuous  river.  It  was  a  great  mistake  of  the  first  explorers, 
when  they  called  the  western  branch,  at  the  meeting  of  the  two  rivers, 
the  Missouri,  and  the  eastern  the  Mississippi :  the  western  branch,  or 
the  Missouri,  is  really  the  Mississippi,  and  .■ihould  have  been  so  designa- 
ted :  it  is  the  longest  and  farthest  navigable  of  the  two  branches,  and 
therefore  is  the  main  river. 

The  Falls  of  St.  Anthony  put  an  end  to  the  navigation  of  the  eastern 
branch,  or  present  upper  Missouri,  about  nine  hundred  miles  above  St. 
Louis ;  while  the  we.itern  branch,  or  present  Missouri,  is  navigable 
above  St.  Louis  for  more  than  one  thousand  two  hundred  miles. 

The  waters  of  the  present  upper  Mississippi  are  clear  and  beautiful ; 
k  is  a  swift,  bu.  not  an  angry  stream,  full  of  beauty  and  freshness,  and  fer- 
tilizing •.!;  it  sweeps  along ;  while  the  Missouri  is  the  same  impetuous, 
discoloured,  devastating  current  as  the  Mississippi  continues  to  be  after 
its  junction — like  it  constantly  sweeping  down  forests  of  trees  in  its  wild 
course,  overflowing,  inundating,  and  destroying,  and  exciting  awe  and 
fear. 

As  soon  as  yon  arrive  at  St.  Louis,  you  feel  that  you  are  on  the  great 
waters  of  Mississippi.  St.  Louis  is  a  well-built  town,  now  containing 
about  twenty  thousand  inhabitants,  and  situated  on  a  hill  shdving  down  to 
the  river.!  The  population  increases  daily  :  tiie  river  a-breast  of  the  town 
is  crowdisd  with  steam-boats,  lying  in  two  or  three  tiers,  and  ready  to 
start  up  or  down,  or  to  the  many  tributary  navigable  rivers  which  pour 
their  waters  into  the  Mississippi. 


DUBT  IN  AlflblOl. 


m 


To  point  of  heat,  St.  Louis  certainly  approaches  the  nearest  to  the 
Black  Hole  of  (Calcutta  of  bny  city  that  I  have  sojourned  in.  The  lower 
part  of  the  town  is  badly  drained,  and  very  filthy.  The  flies,  on  a  mode- 
rate calculation,  are  in  many  parts  fifty  to  the  square  inch.  '  I  wonder  that 
they  have  not  a  contagious  disease  here  during  the  whole  summer  ;  it  is', 
ho  .vever,  indebted  to  heavy  rains  for  its  occasional  purification.  They 
have  not  the  yellow  fever  here  ;  but  during  the  autumn  they  have  one 
which,  under  another  name,  is  almost  as  ^tal — the  bilious  congestive 
fever.  I  found  sleep  almost  impossible  from  the  sultriness  of  tne  air^. 
and  used  to  remain  at  the  open  window  for  the  greater  part  of  the  night. 
I  did  not  expect  that  the  muddy  Mississippi  would  be  able  to  reflect  the 
silver  light  of  the  moon ;  yet  it  did,  and  the  effect  was  very  beautiful. 
Truly  it  may  be  said  of  this  river,  as  it  is  of  many  ladies,  that  it  is  a 
candle-light  beauty.  There  is  another  serious  evU  to  which  strangers, 
who  sojourn  here,  are  subject — the  violent  effects  of  the  waters  oi  the 
Mississippi  upon  those  who  are  not  used  to  them.  The  suburbs  of  the 
town  are  very  pretty ;  and  a  few  miles  behind  it  you  are  again  in  a 
charming  prairie  country,  full  of  game,  large  and  smaH.  Large  and  small 
are  only  so  by  comparison.  An  American  was  asked  what  game  they 
had  in  his  district  1  and  his  reply  was,  "Why,  we've  plenty  of  boar 
(bear)  and  deer,  but  no  large  game  to  count  on." 

There  is  one  great  luxury  in  America,  which  is  the  quantity  of  cleat 
pure^  ice  which  is  to  be  obtained  wherever  you  are,  even  in  the  hottest 
seasons,  and  ice-creams  are  universal  and  very  cheap.  I  went  into  an 
establishment  where  they  vended  this  and  other  articles  of  refreshment, 
when  about  a  dozen  black  swarthy  fellows,  employed  at  the  iron-foundry 
close  at  hand,  with  their  dirty  shirt-sleeves  tucked  up,  and  without  their 
coats  and  waistcoats,  came  in,  and  sitting  down,  called  for  ice-creams. 
Miss  Martineau  says  in  her  work,  **  Happy  is  the  country  where  factory- 
girls  can  carry  parasols,  and  pig-drivers  wear  spectacles:"  she  might 
have  added,  and  the  sons  of  Vulcan  eat  ice-creams.  I  thought  at  the 
time  what  the  ladies,  who  stop  in  their  carriages  at  Gunter's,  would  have 
said,  had  they  beheld  these  Cyclops  with  their  bare  sinewy  arms, 
blackened  with  heat  and  smoke,  refreshing  themselves  with  such  luxu- 
ries ;  but  it  most  be  remembered  that  porter  is  much  the  dearer  article. 
Still  the  working  classes  all  over  America  can  command  not  only  aU 
necessary  comforta>  but  many  luxuries  ;  for  labour  is  dear  and  they  are 
very  well  paid.  The  Americans  will  point  this  out  and  say,  behold  the 
effects  of  our  institutions  ;  and  they  fully  be'.ieve  that  such  is  the  case. 
Government  has,  however,  nothing  to  do  with  it ;  it  is  the  result  of 
circumstances.  When  two  years'  exertion  will  procure  a  clever  mechanic 
an  independence,  the  effects  will  be  the  same,  whether  they  labour  undes 
a  democratic  or  a  monarchical  form  of  government. 

Bear  cubs  (I  mean  the  black  bear)  are  caught  and  brought  down  to  the 
cities  on  this  side  of  the  river,  to  be  fattened  for  the  table.  I  saw  one  at 
Alton  about  a  year  old,  which  the  owner  told  me  was  to  be  killed  the 
next  d-*-; .  i\n .  ing  been  bespoken  for  .'he  feast  of  the  4th  of  July.  I  have 
eaten  oii  bear,  which  I  dislike ;  but  they  say  that  the  cub  is  very  good. 
I  also  saw  here  a  very  fine  specimen  of  the  grizzly  bear  (Ursus  Herridus 
of  Linneeus).  It  was  about  two  years  old,  and,  althoiigh  not  so  tall, 
must  have  weighed  quite  as  much  as  a  good-sized  bullock.  Its  width  of 
shoulder  and  apparent  strength  were  enormous,  and  they  have  never  yet 
been  tamed.  Mr.  Van  Amburgh  would  be  puzzled  to  handle  one  of 
them.    The  Indians  reckon  the  slaying. of  one  of  these  animal);  as  a  mucht 

U*  ' 


19$ 


yURY  IN  AUtnWta 


^aftter  feat  than  killing  a  man,  and  the  proudeat  ornament  they  can  wear 
la  a  necklace  of  the  gruzly  bear's  claws. 

I,  for  myself,  must  confess,  that  I  had  rather  be  attacked  by,  and  take 
my  chance  with,  three  men  than  by  one  of  these  animals,  as  they  are 
seldom  killed  by  the  first  or  even  the  second  bullet.  It  requires  numbers 
to  OTlarcome  them.  The  largest  lion,  or  Bengal  tiaer,  would  stand  but  a 
poor  chance,  if  opposed  to  one  of  these  animals  full  grown.  One  of  the 
gentlemen  employed  by  the  Fur  Company  told  me,  that  he  once  saw  a 
grizzly  bear  attack  a  bull  butlalo,  and  that,  at  the  first  seizure,  he  tore 
one  of  the  ribs  of  the  buffalo  out  of  his  side,  and  eventually  carried  away 
the  whole  carcass,  without  much  apparent  effort.  They  are  only  to  be 
found  in  the  rocky  mountains,  and  valleys  between  them,  when  the  game 
ia  plentiful. 

Visited  the  museum.  There  were  once  five  large  alligators  to  be  seen 
alive  in  this  museum;  but  thsy  are  now  all  dead.  One  demands  our 
sympathy,  as  there  was  something  Roman  in  his  fate.  Una'ule  to  support 
audi  a  life  of  confinement,  and  preferring  death  to  the  loss  of  liberty,  he 
committed  suicide  by  throwing  himself  out  of  a  three-story-high  window. 
He  was  taken  up  from  the  pavement  the  next  morning ;  the  vital  epark 
had  fled,  as  the  papers  say,  and,  I  believe,  his  remains  were  decently 
interred. 

The  other  four,  never  having  been  taught  in  their  youth  the  hymn, 
**  Birds  in  tlieir  little  nesta  agree,"  fought  so  desperately,  that  one  by  one 
they  all  died  of  their  wounds.  They  were  very  large,  being  from  seven« 
teen  to  twenty-one  feet  long.  One,  as  a  memorial,  remains  preserved  in 
the  museum,  Rnd  to  make  him  look  more  poetical,  he  has^a  stuffed  negro 
in  his  mouth. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Thank  Heaven,  I  have  escaped  from  St.  Louis ;  during  the  time  that 
I  remained  in  that  city,  I  was,  day  and  night,  so  melting  away,  that  I 
•ipected,  like  some  of  the  immortal  half-bieeds  of  Jupiter,  to  become  a 
tributary  stream  to  the  Mississippi. 

As  you  descend  the  river  the  land  through  which  it  flows  becomes 
more  level*  and  flat,  while  the  size  of  the  forest  trees  increases :  the  log 
houses  of  the  squatters,  erected  on  the  banks  under  their  trunks,  appear, 
in  contrast  with  their  size,,  more  like  dog-kennels  than  the  habitations 
of  men.  The  lianes,  or  creeping  plants,  now  become  plentiful,  and 
embrace  almost  every  tree,  rising  often  to  the  height  of  fifty  or  sixty 
feet,  and  encircling  them  with  the  apparent  force  of  the  boa-constrictor. 
Most  of  them  are  poisonous ;  indeed,  it  is  from  these  creeping  parasites 
that  the  Indians,  both  in  North  and  South  America,  obtain  the  most 
deadly  venom.  Strange  that  these  plants,  in  their  appearances  and  their 
habits  80  similar  to  the  serpent  tribe,  should  be  endowed  with  the  same 

Eeculiar  attributes,  and'  thus  become  their  parallels  in  the  vegetable 
ingdom — each  carrying  sudden  death  in  their  respective  juices.  I  hate 
the  Mississippi,  and  as  I  look  down  upon  its  wild  and  filthy  waters, 
lioiUng  and  eddying,  and  reflect  how  uncertain  is  travelling  in  this  region 
sf  high-pressure,  and  disregard  of  social  rights,  I  cannot  help  feeling  a 
disgust  at  the  idea  of  perishing  in  such  a  vile  sewer,  to  be  buried  in 
mm,  and  perhaps'  to  be  tooted  out  again  by  some  pig-nosed  alligator. 


DUftYm  AMISIOl. 


Iff 


once  saw  a 
ure,  he  tore 


Right  glad  was  I  when  we  turned  into  the  stream  of  the  Ohio,  and  I 
founa  mynelf  on  its  purer  waters.    The  Ohio  is  a  sphndid  river,  running 
westward  from  the  chain  of  Alleghany  mountains  into  the  Mississippi, 
dividing  the  states  of  Illinois,  Indiana,  and  Ohio  on  its  northern  bank 
from  Kentucky,  and  Virginia  on  its  south  ;  the  northern  being  free,  and 
the  southern  slave  states.     We  stopped  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cumberland 
river,  where  we  took  in  passengers.    Among  others  were  a  slave-dealer 
and  a  runaway  negro  whom  he  had  captured.    He  was  secured  by  a 
heavy  chain,  and  followed  his  master,  who,  as  soon  as  he  arrived  on  the 
upper  deck,  made  him  fast  with  a  large  padlock  to  one  of  the  stancheons. 
Here  he  remained  looking  wistfully  at  the  northern  shore,  where 
every  one  was  free,  but  occasionally  glancing  his  eye  on  the  southern, 
which  had  condemned  him  to  toil  for  others.     I  had  never  seen  a  slave- 
dealer,  and  scrutinized  this  one  severely.    His  most  remarkable  feature 
was  his  eye ;  it  was  large  but  not  projecting,  clear  as  crystal,  and  eter* 
nally  in  motion.    I  could  not  help  imagining,  as  he  turned  it  right  and 
left  from  one  to  the  other  of  the  passengers,  that  he  was  calculating  what 
price  he  could  obtain  for  him  in  the  market.     The  negro  had  run  away 
about  seven  months  before,  and  not  having  a  pass,  he  had  been  secured 
in  gaol  until  the  return  of  his  master,  who  had  been  on  a  journey  with  a 
string  of  slaves,  to  the  state  of  Arkansas :  he  was  about  to  be  sold  to 
pay  expense^,  when  his  master  saw  the  advertisement  and  claimed  him. 
As  may  be  supposed,  a  strong  feeling  exists  on  the  opposite  shores  of 
the  river  as  to  slavery  and  freedom.    The  abolitionists  used  to  assist 
the  slaves  to  escape,  and  send  them  off  to  Canada ;  even  now  many  do 
escape  ;  but  this  lias  been  rendered  more  dif&cult  by  a  system  which  has 
latterly  been  put  in  practice  by  a  set  of  miscreants  living  on  the  free 
sido  of  the  river.    These  would  go  to  the  slave  states  opposite,  and 
persuade  the  negroes  to  run  away,  promising  to  conceal  them  until  they 
could  send  them  off  to  Canada  ;  for  a  free  state  is  bound  to  give  up  a 
slave  when  claimed.     Instead  of  sending  them  away,  they  would  wait 
until  the  reward  was  offered  by  the  masters  for  the  apprehension  of  the 
slaves,  and  then  return  them,  receiving  their  infamous  guerdon.    The 
slaves,  aware  of  this  practice,  now  seldom  attempt  to  escape. 

Louisville  is  the  largest  city  in  Kentucky;  the  country  about  is 
very  rich,  and  everything  vegetable  springs  up  with  a  luxuriance  which 
is  surprising.  It  is  situated  at  the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  which  are  only 
navigable  during  the  freshets ;  there  is  no  river  in  America  which  has 
such  a  rise  and  fall  as  the  Ohio,  sometimes  rising  to  sixty  feet  in  the 
spring ;  but  this  is  very  rare,  the  general  average  being  about  forty  feet. 
The  French  named  it  La  Belle  Riviere  :  it  is  a  very  grand  stream,  run- 
ning  through  hills  covered  with  fine  timber  and  underwood  ;  but  a  very 
small  portion  is  yet  cleared  by  the  settlers.  At  the  time  that  I  'was  at 
Louisville'the  water  was  lower  than  it  had  been  remembered  for  years, 
and  you  could  walk  for  miles  over  the  bed  of  the  river,  a  calcareous  de- 
posite  full  of  interesUng  fossils  ;  but  the  mineralogist  and  geologist  have 
as  much  to  perform  in  America  as  the  agriculturist. 

Arrived  at  Cincinnati.  How  rapid  has  been  the  advance  of  this 
western  country.  In  1803,  deer-skin  at  the  value  of  forty  cents  per 
pound,  were  a  legal  tender ;  and  if  offered  instead  of  money  could  not 
be  refused — even  by  a  lawyer.  Not  fifty  years  ago,  the  woods  which 
towered  where  Cincinnati  is  now  built,  resounded  only  to  the  cry  of  the 
wild  animals  of  the  forest,  or  the  rifle  of  the  Shawnee  Indian;  now 
Cinciimati  contams  a  population  of  40,000  inhabitants.    It  is  a  beautiful, 


IM 


DIAKT  IN  A1IIII6A. 


well  built,  clean  town,  remindins  you  more  of  Philadelphia  than  any 
other  city  in  the  Union.  Situated  on  a  hill  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  it 
is  surrounded  by  a  circular  phalanx  of  other  hills ;  so  that  look  up  and 
down  the  streets,  whichever  way  you  will,  yOur  eye  reposes  upon  ver- 
dure and  forest  trees  in  the  distance.  The  streets  have  a  row  of  trees 
on  each  side,  near  the  curb-stone ;  and  most  of  the  houses  have  a  small 
frontage,  filled  with  luxuriant  flowering  shrubs,  of  which  the  Althea 
Frutex  is  the  mpat  abundant.  It  is.'properly  speaking,  a  Yankee  city, 
the  majority  of  its  inhabitants  coming  from  the  East ;  but  they  have 
intermarried,  and  blended  with  the  Kentuckians  of  the  opposite  bhore,  a 
circumstance  which  is  advantageous  to  the  character  9f  both. 

There  are,  however,  a  large  number  of  Dutch  and  German  settlors 
here;  they  say  10,000.  They  are  not  much  liked  by  the  Americans  ; 
but  have  great  influence,  as  may  be  conceived  when  it  is  stated  that, 
when  a  motion  was  brought  forward,  in  the  Municipal  Court,  for  the  city 
regulations  to  be  printed  in  German  as  well  as  English,  it  was  lost  by 
one  vote  only. 

I  was  told  a  singular  fact  which  will  prove  how  rapidly  the  value  of 
land  rises  in  this  country  as  it  becomes  peopled.  Fifty-six  years  ago,  the 
major  part  of  the  land  upon  which  the  city  of  Cincinnati  stands,  and 
which  18  now  worth  many  millions  of  dollars,  was  swapped  away  by  the 
owner  of  it  for  a  pony ! !  The  man  who  made  this  unfortunate  bargain 
is  now  alive  and  living  in  or  near  Cincinnati. 

Cincinnati  is  the  pork-shop  of  the  Union  ;  and  in  the  autumnal,  'and 
early  winter  months,  the  way  they  kill  pigs  here  is,  to  use  a  Yankee 
phrase,  quite  a  caution.  Almost  all  the  hogs  fed  in  the  oak  forests  of 
Ohio,  Kentucky,  and  Western  Virginia,  are  driven  into  this  city,  and 
some  establishments  kill  as  many  as  fifteen  hundred  a-day ;  at  least  so 
I  am  told.  They  are  despatched  in  a  way  quite  surprising ;  and  a  pig 
is  killed  upon  the  same  principle  as  a  pin  is  made, — by  division,  or, 
more  properly  speaking,  by  combination  of  labour.  The  hogs  confined 
in  a  large  pen  are  driven  into  a  smaller  one  ;  one  man  knocks  them  on 
the  head  with  a  sledge  hammer,  and  then  cuts  their  throats  ;  two  more 
pull  away  the  carcass,  when  it  is  raised  by  two  others,  who  tumble  it 
mto  a  tub  of  scalding  water.  His  bristles  are  removed  in  about  a  min- 
ute and  a  half  by  another  party ;  when  the  next  duty  is  to  fix  a  stretcher 
between  his  legs.  1*  is  then  hoisted  up  by  two  other  people,  cut  open, 
and  disembowelled  ;  and  in  three  minutes  and  a  half  from  the  time  that 
the  hog  was  grunting  in  his  obesity,  he  has  only  to  get  coId«before  he  is 
again  packed  up,  and  reunited  in  a  barrel  to  travel  all  over  the  world. 
By-the-by,  we  laugh  at  the  notion  of  pork  and  molasses.  In  the  first 
place,  the  American  pork  is  far  superior  to  any  that  we  ever  have  salted 
down ;  and,  in  the  next,  it  eats  uncommonly  well  with  molasses.  I 
have  tasted  it,  and  "  it  is  a  fact."  After  all,  why  should  we  eat  current 
jelly  with  venison,  and  not  allow  the  Americans  the  humble  imitation  of 
pork  and  molasses  1 

Mrs.  TroUope's  bazaar  raises  its  head  in  a  very  imposing  manner  :  it 
is  composed  of  many  varieties  of  architecture  ;  but  I  think  the  order 
under  which  it  must  be  classed  is  the  preposterous.  They  call  it  Trol- 
lope's  Folly  ;  and  it  is  remarkable  how  a  shrewd  woman  like  Mrs.  Trol- 
lope  should  have  committed  such  an  error.  A  bazaar  like  an  English 
bazaar  is  only  to  be  supported  in  a  city  which  has  arrived  at  the  acme  of 
luxury  ;  where  there  are  hundreds  of  people  willing  ta  be  employed  for 
a  trifle  i  hundreds  who  will  work  at  trifles,  for  want  of  better  employ* 


SIART  IN  AMniOA. 


18» 


the  value  of 


two  more 


ment ;  and  thousands  who  will  spend  money  on  trifles,  merely  to  pass 
away  their  time.  Now,  in  America,  in  the  first  place,  there  is  no  one 
who  makes  trifles  ;  no  one  who  will  devote  their  time,  as  sellers  of  the 
articles  unless  well  compensated ;  and  no  one  who  will  be  induced, 
either  by  fashion  or  idleness,  to  give  a  halfpenny  more  for  a  thing  than  it 
is  worth.  Ill  consequence,  nothing  was  sent  to  Mrs.  Trollope's  bazaar. 
She  had  to  furnish  it  from  the  shops,  and  had  to  pay  very  high  salaries  to 
the  young  women  who  attended ;  and  the  people  of  Cincinnati,  aware 
that  the  same  articles  were  to  be  purchased  at  the  stores  for  less  money, 
preferred  going  to  the  stores.  No  wonder  then  that  it  was  a  failure : 
It  is  now  used  as  a  dancing  academy,  and  occasionally  as  an  assembly- 
room. 

Whatever  the  society  of  Cincinnati  may  have  been  at  the  time  that 
Mrs,  Tiollope  resided  there,  I  cannot  pretend  to  say  ;  probably  some 
change  may  have  taken  place  in  it ;  but  at  present  it  is  as  good  as  any 
in  the  Union,  and  infinitely  more  agreeable  than  in  some  other  cities, 
as  in  it  th<4re  is  a  mixture  of  the  southern  frankness  of  character.  A 
lady,  who  liad  long  resided  at  Cincinnati,  told  me  that  they  were  not 
angry  witii  Mrs.  TroUope  for  having  described  the  society  which  she  saw, 
but  for  havmg  asserted  that  that  was  the  best  society  ;  and  she  farther 
remarked,—"  It  is  fair  to  us  tjjat  it  should  be  understood  that  when  Mrs. 
Trollope  came  here,  she  was  quite  unknown,  except  inasmuch  as  that 
she  was  a  married  woman,  travelling  without  her  husband.  In  a  small 
society,  as  ours  was,  it  was  not  surprising,  therefore,  that  we  should  be 
cautious  about  receiving  a  lady  who,  in  our  opinion  was  ofiending  against 
leu  bienscances.  Observe,  we  do  not  accuse  Mr*.  Trollope  of  any  impro- 
priety ;  but  you  must  be  aware  how  necessary  it  is,  in  this  country,  to 
be  regardful  of  appearances,  and  how  afraid  every  one  is  of  their  neigh- 
bour. Mrs.  Trollope  then  took  a  cottage  on  the  hill,  and  used  to  come 
down  to  the  city  to  market,  and  attend  to  the  erection  of  her  bazaar.  I 
have  now  told  you  all  that  we  know  about  her,  and  the  reason  why  she 
did  not  receive  those  attentions,  the  omission  of  which  caused  her  indig- 
nation. I  think  it  but  fair  that  the  lady's  explanation  should  be  given, 
as  Mrs.  Trollope  is  considered  to  have  been  very  severe  and  very  unjust 
by  the  inhabitants  of  Cincinnati. 

The  fact  is,  that  Mrs.  Troliope's  representation  of  the  manners  and 
customs  of  Cincinnati,  at  the  period  when  she  wrote,  was  probably  more 
correct  than  the  present  inhabitants  of  the  city  will  allow  ;  that  it  would 
be  a  libel  upon  the  Cincinnatians  of  the  present  day  is  certain  ;  whether 
it  was  one  at  the  time  she  wrote,  and  the  city  was,  comparatively  speak- 
ing, in  its  infancy,  is  quite  another  affair.  However,  one  thing  is  certain, 
which  is,  that  the  Americans  have  quite  forgotten  Mrs.  TlrolTope,  and  if 
she  were  again  to  cross  the  water,  I  think  she  would  be  well  received. 
Her  book  made  them  laugh,  though  at  their  own  expense  ;  and  the  Ame- 
ricans, although  appearances  are  certainly  very  much  against  it,  are  really, 
at  the  bottom,  a  very  good-tempered  people. 

The  heat  has  been  this  year  very  remarkable  all  over  the  Western  coun- 
try, and  the  drought  equally  uncommon,  the  thermometer  standing  from 
lOOo  to  IO60,  in  the  shade,  everywhere  from  St.  Peters  to  New  Or- 
leans. It  is  very  dangerous  to  drink  iced  water,  and  many  have  died 
from  yielding  to  the  temptation.  One  young  man  came  into  the  bar  of 
the  hotel  where  I  resided,  drank  a  glass  of  water,  and  fell  down  dead  at 
the  porch.  This  reminds  me  of  an  ingenious  plan  put  in  practice  by  a 
fellow  who  had  drunk  every  cent  out  of  his  pocket,  and  was  as  thirsty  aa. 


180 


DIAtT  IN  AMIBICl. 


ever.  The  best  remedy,  in  case  of  a  person  being  taken  ill  fromdritiking 
cold  water,  is  to  pour  brandy  clown  his  throat  imniud lately.  Aware  of 
this,  the  fellow  used  to  gu  to  one  of  the  pumps,  putnp  nwny,  and  protend 
to  drink  water  in  large  quantities  ;  he  would  then  full  down  by  the  pump, 
as  if  he  had  been  taken  suddenly  ill ;  out  would  run  people  from  every 
house,  with  brandy,  and  pour  it  down  his  throat  till  even  he  bad  had 
enough ;  he  would  then  protend  gradually  to  recover,  thank  them  for 
their  Kindness  and  walk  away.  When  he  required  another  doi^e,  he  would 
perform  the  same  farce  at  another  pump ;  and  this  he  continued  to  Jo 
for  some  time,  before  his  trick  wns  disrovered. 

I  had  two  good  specimens  of  democracy  during  my  stay  in  this  city. 
I  sent  for  a  tailor  to  take  my  moHsurc  fur  n  codt,  <-md  lio  returned  for 
answer,  that  such  a  proceeding  was  not  republican,  and  that  I  must  go 
to  him. 

A  young  lady,  with  whom  I  was  acquBinted,  was  married  during  the 
time  I  was  there,  and  the  marrifige-party  went  a  short  tour.  On  their 
return,  when  but  a  few  miles  from  the  city,  they  ordered  the  driver  of 
the  carriage  to  put  his  horses  to,  that  thoy  might  proceed  ;  he  replied 
that  he  would  take  ihem  no  farther.  On  imiuirmg'  the  cause  of  hi.i  re- 
fusal, he  said  that  he  had  not  boon  treated  as  a  gentleman ;  that  they 
had  had  private  meals  every  day,  and  h^J  not  asked  him  to  the  tabU  ; 
that  they  had  used  him  very  ill,  and  that  he  would  drive  no  more.  Things 
appear  to  be  fast  verging  to  the  year  1020,  or  thereubouts.  as  described 
by  Theodore  Hook.     A  duchess  wishing  for  a  drive,  the  old  mare  sends 

an  answer  from  the  stable,  that  "  She'll  be  d d  if  she'll  go  out  to<- 

day." 

Left  Cincinnati,  in  a  very  small  steam-boat,  for  Guyandotte,  on  my 
way  to  the  Virginia  Springs.  I  have  often  heard  the  expression  of  "  Hell 
afloat"  applied  to  very  uncomfortable  ships  in  the  service,  but  this  metaphor 
ought  to  nave  been  reserved  for  a  small  high-pressure  steamrboat  in  the 
summer  months  in  America ;  the  sun  darting  his  tierce  rays  down  upon 
the  roof  above  you,  which  is  only  half-inch  plank,  and  rendering  it  so  hot 
that  you  quickly  remove  your  hand  if,  by  chance,  you  put  it  there  ;  the 
deck  beneath  your  feet  so  heated  by  the  furnace  below  that  you  cannot 
walk  with  slippers  ;  you  are  panting  iind  exhhUbted  between  these  two 
fires,  without  a  breath  of  air  to  cool  your  forehead.  Go  forward,  and  the 
chimneys  radiate  a  heat  which  is  even  more  intolerable.  Go — but  there 
is  nowhere  to  go,  except  overboard,  and  then  you  lose  your  passage. 
It  is,  really,  a  fiery  furnace,  and,  day  or  night,  it  is  in  vain  to  seek  a  cool 
retreat.  As  we  proceeded  up  the  river,  things  became  worse.  Wo  had 
not  proceeded  more  than  twenty  miles,  when  a  large  steam-boat,  which 
had  started  an  hour  before  us,  was  discovered  aground  on  a  bar,  which, 
from  the  low  state  of  the  river,  she  could  not  pass.  After  a  parley  be- 
tween the  captains,  we  went  alongside  and  tool:  out  all  her  passengers, 
amounting  to  upwards  of  a  hundred,  being  more  than  we  were  on  board  of 
our  own  vessel.  But  they  behaved  liktT  pirates,  and  treated  us  just  as  if 
we  had  been  a  captured  vessel.  Dinner  was  just  ready  ;  they  sat  down 
and  took  possession  of  it,  leaving  us  to  wait  till  the  table  was  replenished. 
A  young  Enghshman  had  just  taken  his  seat  by  me,  when  a  very  queer- 
looking  man  came  up  to  him  and  begged  that  he  would  give  up  his  place 
to  a  lady.  Aware  of  the  custom  of  the  country,  he  in>mediately  resigned 
his  seat,  and  went  to  look  for  another.  When  the  lady  took  her  seat  by 
me  I  involuntarily  drew  my  chair  to  a  more  respectful  distance,  there 
beipg  Bometbing  so  particularly  uninviting  in  her  ladyship's  appearance. 


On 

capti 
expci 
docla 
the 
chatti 
the  ri 
with 
This 
only 
came 
on  boi 
I'h 


DUKT  IN  AMMtOA. 


in 


On  our  arrival  at  Mayaville,  this  lady,  with  her  gentlotnan,  told  the 
captain  that  thoy  were  sarry  they  had  not  a  cont' wh«rnwith  to  defray  tho 
expen<ieB  of  their  passage.  Their  lu^^gnge  had  been  I  iided  before  thia 
dociarHtion  wai  iniide,  but  it  waa  imniodiatuly  ordered  i  board  again  by 
the  captain  ;  and  an,  of  courje,  they  would  not  part  Wiili  their  goods  and 
chattPls,  they  remained  on  board  of  the  boat.  The  captain  tool<  them  up 
the  river  about  twenty^  ntiltH  farther,  and  then  landed  them  on  the  bank, 
with  their  higgage,  to  find  their  way  back  to  Maysville  how  thoy  could. 
This  is  the  UHual  punishment  for  such  mal-practices  ;  but,  after  ail,  it  it 
only  tho  punishment  of  delay,  as  they  would  hail  the  first  boat  which 
catne  down  the  river,  make  out  a  piteous  tale  of  ill-treatment,  be  received 
on  board,  and  landod  at  their  destination. 

I'his  reminds  mo  uf  a  clever  trick  pla)red  by  a  Yankee  pedlar  upon 
one  of  the  captains  of  the  steam  •boats  running  from  New-York  to  Albany 
on  the  Hudson  river.  The  Yankee  was  fully  aware  of  this  custom  of 
nuttirig  pnople  on  shore  who  attempted  to  gain  a  passage  for  nothing,  and 
his  destination  was  to  a  place  culled  Poughkeepsie,  about  half-way  be- 
tween New  York  and  Albany.  Ho,  therefore,  waited  very  quietly  until 
he  was  within  a  mile  or  two  of  Poughkeepsie,  and  then  went  up  to  the 
captain.  "  Well,  now,  captain,  I  like  to  do  things  on  the  square,  that's 
a  fact  \ — I  mij^hl  have  said  nothing  to  you,  and  run  up  all  the  way  to 
Albany — and  to  Albany  I  must  go  on  most  particular  business — that's  a 
fact ;  but  I  thought  it  more  honourable-like  to  tell  vou  at  once — I  havn't 
got  a  cent  in  my  pocket ;  I've  been  unfortunate  ;  but,  by  the  'tarnal  I'll 
pay  you  my  passage-money  as  noun  as  I  get  it.  You  see  I  tell  you  now, 
that  you  mayn't  say  that  I  cheat  you  ;  for  pay  you  I  will  as  soon  as  I  can, 
that's  a  fact."'  The  captain,  indignant,  as  usual,  at  being  tricked,  called 
him  certain  names,  swore  a  small  quantity,  and  as  soon  as  he  arrived  at 
Poughkeepsie,  as  u  punislimcnt  put  him  ashore  at  the  very  place  the  keen 
Yankoe  wished  to  be  landed  at. 

The  Ohio  river  becomes  much  more  rapid  as  you  ascend.  Abreast  of 
Guyandotte,  where  we  landed,  the  current  was  so  strong  that  it  was  very 
ditiicult  for  men  to  wade  across  it,  and  the  steam-boats  running  against 
the  stream  could  not  gain  more  than  a  mile  in  the  course  of  half  an  hour. 

On  board  of  this  steam-boat  was  a  negro  woman,  very  neatly  dressed, 
with  a  very  good-looking  negro  child,  about  nine  months  old,  in  her  arms. 
It  was  of  the  darkest  ebony  in  colour,  and  its  dress  rather  surprised  me. 
It  was  a  chali  frock,  of  a  neat  fawn  coloured  pattern,  with  fine  muslin 
trousers  ed^'ed  with  Valenciennes  lace  at  tho  bottom  ;  and  very  pretty 
did  its  little  tiny  black  feet  look,  relieved  by  these  expensive  wnnecessaries. 
1  did  not  inquire  who  the  young  gentleman  was ;  but  I  thought  what 
pleasure  the  sight  of  him  would  have  given  Miss  Martineau,  who,  as  I 
have  before  observed,  exclaim,  "  Happy  is  the  country  where  factory- 
girls  carry  parasols,  and  pig-drivers  wear  spectacles."  How  much  more 
happy  must  be  that  country  where  a  little  black  boy,  of  nine  months  old, 
wears  Valenciennes  lace  at  the  bottom  of  his  trousers  !  It  is,  however,  a 
question  of  figures,  and  may  be  solved,  not  by  the  rule  of  three,  but  by 
the  rule  of  five,  which  follows  it  in  the  arithmetic-book. 
If  a  pig-driver  :  produces  so  much  :  :  a  little  black  boy 
with  spectacles  happiness,  Valenciennes  lace. 

I  leave  Miss  Martineau  to  make  the  calculation. 


,i 


132 


DURY  IN  AMERICA. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


Therb  is  extreme  beauty  in  the  Ohio  river.  As  may  be  supposed, 
where  the  rise  and  fall  are  so  great  the  banks  &re  rery  steep  ;  ann,  now 
that  the  water  is  low,  it  appears  deeply  embedded  in  the  wild  forest 
scenery  through  which  it  flows.  The  whole  stream  is  alive  with  small 
fresh-water  turtle,  who  play  on  the  surface  of  its  clear  water ;  while  the 
most  beautiful  varieties  of  the  butterfly  tribe  cross  over  from  one  side  to 
the  other,  from  the  slave  states  to  the  free — their  liberty,  at  all  events, 
not  being  interfered  with  as,  on  the  free  side,  it  would  be  thought  absurd 
to  catch  what  would  not  prodnce  a  cent ;  while,  on  the  slaves',  their  idle- 
ness and  their  indifference  to  them  are  their  security. 

Set  off,  one  of  nine,  in  a  stage-coach,  for  the  Blue  Sulphur  springs. 
The  country,  which  is  very  picturesque,  has  been  already  described.  It 
is  one  continuation  of  risin|y  ground,  through  mountains  covered  with 
trees  and  verdure.  Nature  is  excessively  fond  of  drapery  iu  America : 
I  have  never  yet  fallen  in  with  a  naked  rock.  She  clothes  everything ; 
and  although  you  may  occasionally  meet  with  a  slight  nudity,  it  is  no 
more  than  the  exposure  of  the  neck  or  the  bare  feet  of  the  mountain- 
nymph.  This  ridge  of  the  Alleghanies  is  very  steep ;  but  you  have  no 
distinct  view  as  you  climb  up,  not  even  at  the  Hawk's  Nest,  where  you 
merely  peep  down  into  the  ravine  below.  You  are  jammed  up  in  the 
forests  through  which  you  pass  nearly  the  whole  of  the  way ;  and  it  was 
delightful  to  arrive  at  any  levfll,  and  fall  in  with  the  houses  and  well- 
tilled  fields  of  the  Virginian  farmers,  exhibiting  every  proof  of  prosperity 
and  ease.  The  heat  was  dreadful ;  two  horses  fell  dead,  and  I  thought 
that  many  others  would  have  died,  for  two  of  the  wheels  were  defective, 
and  the  labour  of  the  poor  animals,  in  dragging  us  constantly  up  hill,  was 
most  severe. 

The  indifference  of  the  proprietors  of  public  conveyances  in  America, 
as  to  the  safety  of  their  passengers,  can  only  be  accounted  for  by  the 
extreme  indifference  of  the  passengers  themselves,  and  the  independent 
feeling  shown  by  every  class,  who,  whatever  may  be  their  profession,  will 
never  acknowledge  themselves  to  be  what  we  term  the  servarJts  of  the 
public.  Here  was  an  instance.  The  coach  we  were  put  into  was  de- 
fective in  two  of  its  wheels,  and  could  only  be  jepair^d  at  Louisburg, 
about  a  hundred  miles  distant.  Instead  of  sending  it  on  to  that  town 
empty,  as  would  have  been  done  by  our  coach  proprietors,  and  providing 
another  (as  they  hau  plenty),  for  the  passengers ;  instead  of  this,  in  order 
to  save  the  extra  trouble  and  expense,  they  rieked  the  lives  of  the  pas- 
sengers on  a  road  with  a  precipice  on  one  side  of  it  for  at  least  four-fifths 
of  the  way.  One  of  the  wheels  would  not  hold  the  grease,  and  creaked 
most  ominously  during  the  whole  journey  ;  and  we  were  obliged  to  stop 
and  pour  water  on  it  continually.  The  box  and  irons  of  the  other  were 
loose,  and  before  we  were  half  way  it  came  off,  and  we  were  obliged  to 
stop  and  get  out.  But  the  Atr.t  -icans  are  never  at  a  loss  when  they  are 
in  a  fix.  The  passengers  borrowed  an  axe  ;  in  a  short  time  wedges  were 
cat  from  one  of  the  trees  at  the  road- side  ;  and  the  wheel  was  so  well 
repaired  that  it  lasted  us  the  remainder  of  our  journey. 

Our  road  for  some  time  lay  through  the  valley  of  Kcnawha,  through 
which  runs  the  river  of  that  name — a  strong,  clear  stream.  It  is  hemmed 
in  by  mountains  on  each  side  of  it ;  and  here,  perhaps,  is  presented  the 
most  curious  varieties  of  mineral  produce  that  ever  were  combined  in  one 


DlABT  IN  AMBRtOA. 


183 


36  supposed, 
3 ;  and,  now 
)  wild  forest 
re  with  small 
t ;  while  the 
ti  one  side  to 
at  all  events, 
ought  absurd 
38',  their  idle- 

phur  springs, 
[escribed.     It 
covered  with 
ill  America: 
3  everything; 
udity,  it  is  no 
;he  mountain- 
t  you  have  no 
3st,  where  you 
med  up  in  the 
ly  ;  and  it  was 
ises  and  well- 
f  of  prosperity 
and  I  thought 
were  defective, 
itly  up  hill,  was 

es  in  America, 
ted  for  by  the 
le  independent 
jrofession,  will 
servants  of  the 
into  was  de- 
at  Louisburg, 
to  that  town 
and  providing 
f  this,  in  order 
es  of  the  pas- 
east  four-fifths 
le,  and  creaked 
obliged  to  stop 
the  other  were 
vere  obliged  to 
when  they  are 
le  wedges  were 
il  was  so  well 

lawha,  through 
It  is  hemmed 
presented  the 
ombined  in  one 


locality.  Tho  river  runs  over  a  bed  of  horizontal  calcareous  strata,  and 
by  perforating  this  strata  about  forty  or  fifty  feet  below  the  level  of  the 
river,  you  arrive  at  salt-springs,  the  wateis  of  which  are  pumped  up  by 
small  steam-engines,  and  boiled  down  into  salt  in  buildings  erected  on 
the  river's  banks.  The  mountains  which  hem  in  the  river  are  one  mass 
of  coal ;  a  gallery  is  opened  at  that  part  of  the  foot  of  the  mountain  most 
convenient  lo  the  buildings,  and  the  coal  is  thrown  down  by  shiots  or 
small  railways.  Here  you  have  coal  for  your  fuel ;  salt  water  under 
fresh;  and  as  soon  as  the  salt  is  put  into  the  barrels  (which  are  also 
made  from  the  mountain  limber),  the  riv<"  is  all  ready  to  transplant  them 
down  to  Ohio.  But  there  is  another  great  curiosity  in  this  valley: 
these  bcdi)  of  coal  have  produced  springs,  as  they  are  termed,  of  cur- 
burettcd  hydrugen  gas,  which  run  along  the  banks  of  the  river  close  to 
the  water's- edge.  The  negroes  take  advantage  of  'hese  springs  when 
they  come  down  at  night  to  wash  clothes  ;  they  set  fire  to  the  springs, 
which  yield  them  sufficient  light  f  r  their  work.  The  one  which  I  ex- 
amined was  dry,  and  the  gas  bubbled  up  through  the  sand  By  kicking 
thasand  about,  so  as  to  make  communications  after  I  had  lighted  the  gas, 
I  obtained  a  very  large  flame,  which  I  left  burning. 

The  heat,  as  we  ascended,  was  excessive,  and  the  passengers  availed 
themselves  of  every  spring,  with  the  exception  of  those  just  described, 
that  they  fe'l  in  with  on  the  route.  We  drank  of  every  variety  of  water 
excepting  pure  water — sometimes  iron,  sometimes  sulphur ;  and,  indeed, 
every  kind  of  chalybeate,  foi  every  rill  was  impregnated  in  boine  way  or 
another.  At  last,  it  occurred  lo  me  that  there  were  such  things  as  chemi- 
cal atfinities,  and  that  there  was  no  saying  what  changes  might  take  place 
by  the  admixture  of  such  a  variety  of  metals  and  gasses,  so  drank  no 
more.  I  did  not  like,  however,  to  interfere  with  the  happiness  of  others, 
80 1  did  not  communicate  my  ideas  to  my  fellow-passengers,  who  con- 
tinued drinking  during  the  whole  day  ;  and  as  I  uTterwards  found  out, 
did  not  sleep  very  well  that  night ;  they  were,  moreover,  very  sparing  in 
the  use  of  them  the  next  day. 

There  are  a  great  variety  of  springs  already  discovered  on  these 
mountains,  and  probably  there  will  be  a  great  many  more.  Already  they 
have  the  blue,  the  white,  and  the  red  sulphur  springs  ;  the  sweet  and 
the  salt;  the  warm  and  the  hot,  all  of  which  have  their  several  virtues; 
but  the  greatest  virtue  of  all  these  mineral.springs  is,  as  in  England  and 
every  where  else,  that  they  occasion  people  to  live  regularly,  to  be  mo- 
derate in  the  use  of  wine,  and  .o  dv/ell  in  a  pure  and  wholesome  air. 
They  always  remind  me  of  the  eastern  story  of  the  Dervise,  who,  being 
sent  for  by  a  king  who  had  injured  hii  health  by  continual  indulgence^ 
gave  him  a  racket-ball,  which  *he  informed  the  king  possessed  wonderful 
medicinal  virtues ;  with  this  ball  his  majesty  was  to  play  at  racket  two  or 
three  hours  every  day  with  his  courtiers.  The  exercise  it  induced,  which 
was  the  only  medicinal  virtue  the  ball  possessed,  restored  the  king  to 
health.  So  it  is  with  all  watering  places  ;  it  is  not  so  much  the  use  of 
the  water,  as  the  abstinence  from  what  is  pernicious,  together  with  exer« 
cise  and  early  hours,  which  effect  the  majority  of  cures. 

We  arrived  first  at  the  blue  sulphur  springs,  and  I  remained  there  for 
one  day  to  get  rid  of  the  dust  of  travelling.  They  have  a  very  excellent 
hotel  there,  with  a  bail  rooin^which  is  open  till  eleven  o'clock  every 
night ;  the  scenery  is  very  n^tty,  and  the  company  was  good — as  indeed 
is  the  company  at  all  thesaroprings,  for  they  are  too  distant,  and  the  tra- 
velling too  expensive  for  Very  body  to  get  there.    But  the  blue  silphuc 

la 


^^^ 


f' 


(■& 


mn, 


134 


SUBT   IN   AHKRIOAr 


are  not  fashionable,  and  the  connequenco  was,  we  were  not  crowded,  and 
were  very  omfcrlable.  People  who  cannot  get  accommodated  at  the 
white  sulphur,  remain  here  until  they  can,  the  divtanco  between  those 
being  only  twenty-two  milf^s. 

The  only  springs  which  are  fashionable  are  the  white  sulphur,  and  as 
thene  springs  are  a  feature  in  American  society,  I  shall  describe  them 
more  particularly. 

They  are  situated  in  a  small  valley,  many  hundred  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea,  and  are  of  ahout  fifteen  or  twenty  acres  in  area,  surrounded 
by  small  hills,  covered  with  foliage  to  their  summits :  at  one  end  of  the 
valley  is  the  hotel,  with  the  large  dining-room  for  all  the  visitors.  Close 
to  the  hotel,  butm  another  building,  ii  the  ball-room,  and  a  little  below 
the  hotel  on  the  other  side,  is  the  spring  itself;  but  beautiful  as  is  the 
whole  dcenery,  the  great  charm  of  this  watering  place  is,  the  way  in 
which  those  live  who  viail  it.  The  rises  of  the  hills  which  surround  the 
valley  are  covered  with  little  cottages,  log^hoHses,  and  other  picturesque 
buildingN,  sometimes  in  rows,  an<i  ornamented  with  verandahs,  without 
a  second  story  above,  or  kitchen  below.  Som&  are  very  elegant  and 
ipore  commodious  than  the  rest,  having  been  built  by  gentlemen  who 
have  the  right  given  lo  them  by  the  company  to  whom  the  sprinj;s  belong, 
of  occupying  themselves  whrn  there,  but  not  of  preventing  others  from 
taking  possession  of  thorn  in  iheir  ab!<('nce.  The  dinners  and  other  meals 
are,  generally  speaking,  tiid  ;  not  that  there  is  not  a  plentiful  supply,  but 
that  it  is  so  difficult  to  supply  seven  hundred  people  sitting  down  in  one 
room.  In  the  morning,  they  all  turn  out  from  iheir  little  burrows,  meet 
in  the  public  walks,  and  go  down  to  the  spring  before  breakfast ;  during 
the  forenoon,  when  it  is  too  warm,  they  remain  at  home  ;  after  dinner, 
they  ride  out  or  day  visits,  and  then  end  the  day,  either  at  the  ball-room 
or  in  hctle  societies  amungr  one  anuther.  There  is  no  want  of  hand;>ome 
equipages,  many  four  in  hand  (Virginny  long  tails)  and  every  accommo- 
dation for  these  equipages.  The  crowd  is  very  great,  and  it  is  astonish- 
ing what  inconvenience  peoj)le  will  submit  to,  rather  than  not  be 
accommodated  somehow  or  another.  Every  cabin  is  like  a  rabbit  burrow. 
In  the  one  next  to  where  I  was  lodged,  in  a  room  about  fourteen  feet 
•quare,  and  partitioned  off  as  well  as  it  could  be,  there  slept  a  gentleman 
and  his  wife,  his  sister  and  brother,  and  a  female  servant.  I  am  not 
•ure  that  the  nigger  was  not  ohder  the  bed — at  all  events,  the  young 
flister  told  me  that  it  was  not  at  all  pleaaont. 

There  is  a  sort  of  major-domo  here  who  regulates  every  department  : 
his  word  is  law,  and  his  fiat  immoveable,  and  he  presumes  not  a  little 
•pon  his  power ;  a  circumstance  not  to  be  surprised  at,  as  he  is  as  much 
courted  and  is  as  despotic  as  all  the  lady  pBtronesi<es  of  Almacks  rolled 
into  one.  He  is  called  the  Metternich  of  the  mountains.  No  one  is 
allowed  accommodation  at  these  springs  who  is  not  known,  and  generally 
speaking,  only  those  fainiLea  who  travel  in  their  private  carnages.  It  is 
et  this  place  that  you  feel  how  excessively  aristocratical  and  exclusive 
the  Americans  would  be,  and  indeed  will  be,  in  spite  of  their  institutions. 
8ps,  in  its  palmiest  days,  when  princes  had  to  sleep  in  their  carriages  at 
the  doors  of  the  hotela,  waa  not  more  in  vogue  than  are  these  white 
sulphur  springs  with  the  Hite  of  the  United  States.  And  it  is  here,  and 
here  only,  in  the  States,  thkt  you  do  meet  with  what  may  be  fairlj 
considered  as  select  society,  for  at  Washington  there  is  a  great  mixture. 
Of  course,  all  the  celebrated  belles  of  the  different  States  are  to  be  met 
with  here,  as  well  as  all  the  large  fortunes,  nor  is  there  a  scarcity  of 


»• 


%. 


VUMT  IN  .illlRtOA. 


135 


frtttr  and  wealthy  widowa.  The  president,  Mrs.  Caton,  the  mother  of 
isdy  Wellealey,  I^ady  Strafford,  and  Lady  Caermarthen,  the  daughter  of 
Carrol,  of  Carroliown,  one  of  tne  real  aristocracy  of  America,  and  a 
signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  all  the  first  old  Vir- 
jaian  and  Carolina  families,  many  of  them  descendants  of  the  old  cava- 
liers, were  at  the  springs  when  I  arrived  there  ;  and  I  certainly  must  say 
that  I  never  was  at  any  watering-place  in  England  where  the  company 
was  so  good  and  so  select  as  at  the  Virginia  springs  in  America. 

I  passed  many  pleasant  days  at  this  beautiful  spot,  and  was  almost 
as  unwilling  to  leave  it  as  I  was  to  part  with  the  Sioux  Indians  at  St. 
Peters.  Refinement  and  simplicity  are  equally  charming.  I  was 
introduced  to  a  very  beautiful  girl  here,  whom  1  should  not  have  men- 
tioned so  particularly,  had  it  not  been  that  she  was  the  first  and  only 
lady  in  America  that  I  observed  to  whittle.  She  was  sitting  one  fine 
morning  on  a  wooden  bench,  surrounded  by  admirers,  and  as  she 
carved  away  h'er  seat  with  her  pen-knife,  so  did  she  cut  deep  into  the 
hearts  of  those  who  listened  to  her  lively  conversation. 

There  are,  «&  may  be  supposed,  a  large  nnmber  of  negro  servants 
here  attending  their  masters  and  mistresses.  1  have  often  t^n  amused, 
not  only  here^  but  during  my  residence  in  Kentucky,  at  the  high- 
sounding  Christian  names  which  have  been  given  to  them.  "  Byron, 
tell  Ada  to  (jome  here  directly."  "Now,  TeUmackus,  if  you  don't 
leave  Calypso  alone,  you'll  get  a  taste  of  the  cow-hide." 

Among  others,  attracted  to  the  springs  professionally,  was  a  very 
clever  perman  painter,  who,  like  all  Germans,  had  a  very  correct  ear 
for  music.  He  had  painted  a  kitchen-dance  in  Old  Virginia,  and  ia 
the  picture  he  had  introduced  all  the  well-known  colored  people  in  the 
place ;  among  the  rest  were  the  band  of  musicians,  but  I  observed  thai 
one  man  was  missing.  "  Why  did  you  not  put  him  inl"  inquired  I. 
"  Why,  Sir,  I  could  not  put  him  in ;  it  was  impossible ;  he  aever  ploj/s 
in  tune.  Why,  if  I  put  him  in,  Sir,  he  would  spoil  the  harmony  of  my 
whole  picture !" 

I;  ask  d  this  artist  how  he  got  on  in  America.  He  replied,  "  But  so- 
so  the  Americans  in  general  do  not  estimate  genius.  They  come  to 
me  and  ask  what  I  want  for  my  pictures,  and  I  teii  them.  Then  they 
say,  '  How  long  did  it  take  you  to  paint  it  Y  I  answer,  '  So  many 
days.'  Well,  then  they  calculate  and  say,  '  If  it  took  you  only  so  many 
days,  you  ask  so  many  dollars  a  day  for  your  work ;  you  ask  a  great 
deal  too  much;  you  ought  to  be  content  with  so  much  per  day,  and  I 
will  give  you  that.'  So  that,  thought  I,  invention  and  years  of  study 
go  for  nothing  with  these  people.  There  is  only  one  way  to  dispose  of 
a  picture  in  America,  and  that  is,  to  rafile  it ;  the  Americans  will  then 
run  the  chance  of  getting  it.  If  you  do  not  like  to  part  with  your  pio- 
tures  in  that  way,  you  must  paint  portraits ;  people  will  purchase  their 
own  faces  all  over  the  world  :  the  worst  of  it  is,  that  in  this  country, 
they  will  pi-rchase  nothing  else." 

During  my  stay  here,  1  was  told  of  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
instances  that  perhaps  ever  occurred,  of  the  discovery  of  a  fact  by  the 
party  from  whom  it  was  of  the  utmost  importance  to  conceal  it — a  very 
pretty  interesting  young  widow.  SheJiaia  married  a  promising  young 
man,  to  whom  she  was  tenderly  attached,  and  who,  a  few  months 
after  the  marriage,  unfortunately  feH<  ill  a  duel.  Aware  that  the 
knowledge  of  the  cause  of  her  husband's  death  would  render  the  blow 
still  more  severe  to  her,  (the  ball  having  passed  through  the  eye  into 
his  brain,  and  thpre  being  no  evident  gun-shot  wound,)  her  relations 
informed  her  that  h3  had  been  thrown  from  his  horse,  and  killed  by  the 


''  ■''■*^Hf-  !!^\f^%il 


iai6 


DMRT  IH  AMERICA. 


i'l 


fall.  She  believed  them.  She  was  living  in  the  country ;  when,  about 
nine  lAonths  after  her  widowhood,  her  brother  rode  down  to  see  her, 
and  as  soon  as  he  arrited  went  into  his  room  to  shave  and  dress.  The 
window  df  his  room,  which  was  on  the  ground-floor,  loolced  out  upon 
the  garden,  and  it  being  summer  time,  it  was  open.  He  toreoif  a  por- 
tion of  an  old  newspaper  to  wipe  h'is  razor.  The  breeze  caught  it,  and 
carried  it  away  into  the  garden  until  it  stopped  at  the  feet  of  his  sister, 
who  happened  to  be  walking.  Mechnnichlly  she  took  up  the  fragment, 
and  perceiving  her  husband  s  name  upon  it,  she  read  it.  It  contained  a 
full  account  of  the  duel  in  which  he  lost  his  life  I  The  shock  she  received 
was  so  great  that  it  unsettled  her  mind  for  nearly  two  years.  She  had 
but  just  recovered,  and  for  the  first  time  re-appeared  m'  public,  when 
she  was  pointed  out  to  me. 

Retummg  to  Guyandotte,  one  of  the  travellers  wished  to  see  the  view 
from  the  Hawk's  Nest,  or  rather  wished  to  be  able  to  say  that  he  had 
seen  it.  We  passed  the  spot  when  it  was  quite  dark,  but  he  persisted 
in  going  there,  and,  to  help  his  vision,  borrowed  one  of  the  coach-lamps 
from  the  driver.  He  returned,  and  declared  that  with  the  assistance  of 
the  lamp  he  had  had  a  very  excellent  view,  down  a  precipic*.  of  several 
hundred  feet.  His  bird's-eye  view  by  candle-light  must  have  been 
very  extensive.  After  all,  it  is  but  to  be  able  to  say  that  they  had  been 
to  such  a  place,  or  have  seen  such  a  thing,  thai,  more  than  any  real  taste 
for  it,  induces  the  majority  of  the  world  to  incur  the  trouble  and  fatigue 
of  tiavelling. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

I  WAS  informed  that  a  camp-meeting  was  to  be  held  about  seven 
miles  from  Cincinnati,  and,  anxious  to  verify  the  accounts  I  had  heard 
of  them,  I  availed  myself  of  this  opportunity  of  deciding  for  myself.  We 
proceeded  about  five  miles  on  the  high  road,  and  then  diverged  by  a 
cross-road  until  we  ari'ived  at  a  steep  conical  hill,  crowned  with  splen- 
did forest  trees  without  underwood ;  the  trees  ..eing  sufficiently  apart 
to  admit  of  wagons  and  other  vehicles  to  pass  in  every  direction.  The 
camp  was  raised  upon  the  summit  of  this  hill,  a  piece  of  table-land 
comprising  many  acres.    About  an  acre  and  a  half  was  surrounded  on 
the  four  sides  by  cabins  built  up  of  rough  boards ;  the  whole  arta  in  the 
centre  was  fitted  up  with  planks,  laid  about  a  foot  from  the  ground,  as 
seats.    At  one  end,  but  not  close  to  the  cabins,  was  a  raised  stand, 
which  served  as  a  pulpit  for  the  preachers,  one  of  them  praying,  while 
five  or  six  others  sat  down  behind  him  on  benches.     There  was  ingress 
to  the  area  by  the  four  corners ;  the  whole  of  it  was  shaded  by  vast  forest 
trees,  which  ran  up  to  the  height  of  fifty  or  sixty  feet  without  throwing 
out  a  branch ;  ana  to  the  trunks  of  these  trees  were  fixed  lamps  in  every 
direction,  for  the  continuance  of  service  by  night.     Outside  the  area, 
which  may  be  designated  as  the  chui-ch,  were  hundreds  of  tents  pitched 
in  every  quarter,  their  snowy  whiteness  contrasting  beautifully  with 
the  deep  verdure  and  eloom  of  the  forest.    These  were  the  temporary 
habitations  of  those  who  had  come  many  miles  to  attend  the  meeting, 
and  who  remained  there  firom  the  commencement  until  it  concluded — 
usually,  a  period  of  from  ten  to  twelve  days,  but  often  much  longer. 
The  tents  were  furnished  with  every  article  necessary  for  cooking; 
mattrasses  to  sleep  upon,  &c. ;  some  of  them  even  had  bedsteads  and 
chests  of  drawers,  which  had  been  brought  in  the  wagons  in  which 
the  people  in  this  country  usually  travel.  At  a  farther  distance  were  all 


th 
m 

Pl 
m 


DIART  IN  AMSMCA. 


m 


the  wagons  aitd  other  vehicles  which  had  conveyed  the  people  to  the 
meetini?,  whilst  hundreds  of  horses  were  tethered  under  the  trees,  and 
plentifully  provi(«3d  with  forage.  Such  were  the  general  outlines  of  a 
most  interestiag  nnd  beautiful  scene. 

Where,  indera,  could  so  magnificent  b^  temple  to  the  Lord  be  raised 
as  on  this  lofty  hill,  crowned  as  it  was  witn  such  majestic  verdure. 
Compared  with  these  giants  of  the  forest,  the  cabins  and  tents  of  the 
multitude  appeared  as  insignificant  and  contemptible  as  almost  would 
man  himself  in  the  presence  of  the  Deity.  Many  generations  of  men 
must  have  been  mowed  down  before  the  arrival  of  ihese  enormous  trees 
to  their  present  state  of  maturity ;  arid  at  the  time  they  sent  forth  their 
first  shoots,  probably  were  not  on  the  whole  of  this  continent,  now  teem- 
ing with  millions,  as  many  white  men  as  are  now  assembled  on  this 
field.  I  walked  about  for  dome  time  surveying  the  panorama;  when  I 
returned  to  the  area,  and  took  my  seal  upon  a  bench.  In  one  quarter 
the  coloured  population  had  collected  themselves;  their  tents  appeared  to 
be  better  furnished  and  better  supplied  with  comforts  than  most  of  those 
belonging  to  the  whites.  I  put  my  head  into  one  of  the  tents,  and  dis- 
covered a  sable  damsel  lying  on  a  bed  and  singing  hymns  in  a  loud  voice. 

The  major  portion  of  those  not  in  the  area  were  cooking  the  dinners. 
Fires  were  burning  in  every  direction  :  pots  boiling,  chickens  roasting, 
hams  seething;,  indeed  there  appeared  to  be  no  want  of  creature 
comforts. 

But  the  trumpet  sounded,  ns  in  days  of  yore,  as  a  signal  that  the  ser- 
vice was  aboutto  recommence,  and  I  went  into  the  area  and  tookmy  seat. 
One  of  the  preachers  rose  and  gave  out  a  hymn,  which  was  sung  by  the 
congregation,  amounting  to  about  seven  or  eight  hundred.  After  thesing- 
ing  of  the  hvmn  was  concluded  he  commenced  an  extempore  sermon: 
it  was  good,  sound  doctrine,  and,  although  Methodism  of  the  mildest 
tone,  and  divested  of  its  bitterness  of  denunciation,  as  indeed  is  gen- 
erally the  case  with  Methodism  in  America.  I  heard  nothing  which 
could  be  offensive  to  any  other  sect,  or  which  could  be  const- 
dered  objectionable  by  the  most  orthodox,  and  I  bejg^an  to  doubt 
whether  such  scences  as  had  been  described  to  me  did  really  take 
place  at  these  meetings.  A  prayer  followed,  and  after  about  two  hours 
the  congregation  were  dismissed  to  their  dinners,  heing  first  informed 
that  the  service  would  recommence  at  two  o'clock  at  the  sound  of  the 
trumpet.  In  front  of  the  pulpit  there  was  a  space  railed  off,  and  streT- 
ed  with  straw,  which  I  was  told  was  the  Anxious  seat,  and  on  which 
sat  those  who  were  touched  by  their  consciences  or  the  discourse  of  the 
preacher ;  but,  although  there  were  several  sitting  on  it,  I  did  not  per- 
ceive any  emotion  on  the  part  of  the  occupants:  they  were  attentivei 
but  nothm?  more. 

When  I  first  examined  the  area,  I  saw  a  very  large  tent  at  one  corner 
of  it,  probably  fifty  feet  long,  by  twenty  wide.  It  was  open  at  the  end, 
and,  beinv  full  of  straw,  I  concluded  it  was  used  as  a  sleeping-place  foi 
those  who  had  not  provided  themselves  with  separate  accommodation. 
About  an  hour  after  the  service  was  over,  perceiving  many  people  di- 
rectinj;  their  steps  toward  it,  I  followed  them.  On  one  side  of  the  tent 
were  about  twenty  feniales,  mosily  young,  squatted  down  on  the  straw; 
on  the  otlier  a  few  men ;  in  the  centre  was  a  long  form',  against  which 
were  some  other  mftn  kneeling,  with  their  faces  covered  with  their 
hands,  as  if  oocipied  in  prayer.  Gradually  the  numbers  increased,  girl 
after  girl  dropped  down  upon  the  straw  on  the  one  side;,  and  men  on 
the  other.  At  last  an  elderly  man  ^ave  out  a  hymn,  which  was  sunf 
with  peculiar  energy ;  then  another  knelt  down  in  the  centre,  and  cocft- 

12* 


138 


DURT  IN  AMBRICA. 


#■ 


ineDcecl  a  prayer,  shutting  his  eyes  (as  I  obser^'ed  mbst  clergympii  in 
the  United  States  do  when  they  pray)  and  raising  his  hands  above  his 
liead ;  then  another  burst  out  into  a  prayer,  and  another  ftdlowed  him ; 
then  their  voices  became  allconfusfd  together;  and  then  were  heard  the 
more  silvery  toneii  uf  woman's  supplication.    As  the  din  increased  so 
did  thelir  enthusiasm  ;  handkerchiefs  were  raised  to  bright  eyes,  and  sobs 
were  intermingled  with  prayers  and  ejaculations.    It  became  a  scene  of 
Babel;   more  than  twenty  men  and  women  were  crying  out  at  the 
highest  pitch  of  their  voices,  and  trying  apparently  to  be  heard  above 
the  others.    Every  minute  the  excitement  increased  ;  some  wrung  their 
hands  and  called  for  mercy ;  some  tore  their  hair ;  boys  laid  down  cry- 
ing bitterly,  with  their  heads  buried  in  the  straw ;  there  was  sobbing 
almost  to  suiTooation,  and  hysterics  and  deep  agony.    One  young  man 
clung  to  the  form,  crying,  "  Satan  tears  at  me,  but  I  would  hold    fast. 
Help — help,  he  drags  me  down  !"  It  was  a  scene  of  horrible  agony  and 
despair  j  and,  when  it  was  at  its  height,  one  of  the  preachers  came  in, 
and  raismg  his  voice  high  above  the  tumult,  intreated  the  Lord  to  re- 
ceive into  his  fold  those  who  now  repented  and  would  fain  return. 
Another  of  the  ministers  knelt  down  by  some  young  men,  whose  faces 
'Wvrc  covered  up,  and  who  appeared  to  be  almost  in  a  state  of  phrensy ; 
and  putting  his  hands  upon  them,  poured  forth,  an  energetic  prayer, 
well  calculated  to  work  upon  their  over  excited  feelings.    Groans,  eja- 
culations, broken  sobs,  frantic  motions,  and  convulsions  succeeded ; 
some  fell  on  their  backs  with  their  eyes  closed,  waving  their  hands 
with  a  slow  motion,  and  crying  out — "  Glory,  glory,  glory  I"    I  quit- 
ted the  spot,  and  hastened  away  into  the  forest,  for  the  sieiht  was  too 
painful,  too  melancholy.    Its  sincerity  could  not  be  doubted,  but  it  was 
the  effi^.t  of  over-excitement,  not  of  sober  reasoning.    Could  such  vio- 
lence OP  feeling  have  been  produced  had  each  party  retired  to  commune 
alone  1  — most  surely  not.    It  was  a  fever  created  by  collision  and  con- 
tact, of  the  same  nature  as  that  which  stimulates  a  mob  to  deeds  of 
blood  and  horror. 

Gregarious  animals  are  by  nature  inoffensive.  The  cruel  and  the 
savage  live  apurt,  and  in  solitude;  but  the  gregarious,  uuheld  and  sti- 
mulated by  each  other,  become  formidable.    So  it  is  with  man. 

I  was  told  that  the  scene  would  be  much  more  interesting  and  exciting 
afier  the  lamps  were  lighted ;  but  I  had  seen  quite  enough  of  it.  It  was 
too  serious  to  laugh  at,  and  I  felt  that  it  was  not  for  me  to  condemn. — 
"  Cry  aloud,  and  spare  not,"  was  the  exhortation  of  the  preacher;  and 
certainly,  if  heaven  was  only  to  be  taken  by  storm,  be  was  a  proper 
.  leader  for  his  congrogation. 

Whatever  may  be  the  opinion  of  the  reader  as  to  the  meeting  which 
I  have  described,  it  i^  certain  that  nothing  could  be  more  laudable  than 
the  intention  by  which  these  meetings  were  originated.    At  the  first 
settling  of  the  country  the  people  were  widely  scattered,  and  the  truths 
of  the  Gospel,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  preachers,  but  seldom  heard. — 
It  was  to  remedy  thi'b  unavoidable  evil  tnat  they  agreed,  like  the  Chris- 
tians in  earlier  times,  to  collect  together  from  all  quarters,  and  pass 
many  days  in  meditation  and  prayer,  "exhorting  one  another — com- 
forting one  another."    Even  now  it  is  not  uncommon  for  the  settlers  in 
Indiana  and  Illinois  to  travel  one  hundred  miles  in  their  wagons  to 
attend  one  of  these  meetings, — meetings  which  are  now  too  often  sullied 
by  fanaticism  on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other  by  the  levity  and  infi- 
delity of  those  who  go  not  to  pray,  but  to  scoff;  or  to  indulge  in  the 
licentiousness  which,  it  is  said,  but  too  often  follows,  when  night  has 
thrown  her  veil  over  the  scene. 


V  I  > 


DIARY  IN  AMIRICA. 


139 


Tgymrn  in 
I  above  hit 
Dwed  bim ; 
B  heard  the 
ncreaaed  so 
es,  and  sobs 
e  a  scene  of 
out  at  the 
[ward  above 
wrung  their 
I  down  cry- 
as  sobbing 
young  man 
hold    fast. 
3  agony  and 
ers  came  in, 
Lord  to  re- 
fain  return, 
whose  faces 
ofphrensy; 
;etic  prayer, 
Groans,  eja- 
s  succeeded; 
J  their  hands 
ry  I"     I  quit- 
M^ht  was  too 
d,  but  it  was 
uld  such  vio- 
i  to  commune 
sion  and  con- 
to  deeds  of 

:ruel  and  the 
•held  and  sti- 
t  man. 

and  exciting 
of  it.  It  was 
5  condemn. — 
[reacher;  and 

as  a  proper 

seting  which 
laudable  than 
At  the  first 
Ind  the  truths 
lorn  heard. — 
like  the  Chris- 
]prs,  and  pass 
lot  her — com- 
the  settlers  in 
^r  wagons  to 
>  often  sullied 
rity  and  infi- 
ndul^  in  the 
len  night  has 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

LE]:iNaTON,  thft  capital  of  the  State,  is  embosomed  in  the  very  heart 
of  the  vale  of  Kentucky.     This  vale  was  the  favorite  huntin«-grnund 
of  the  Indians ;  and  a  fairer  country  for  the  chase  could  not  well  be  im- 
agined than  this  rolling,  well-wooded,  luxuriant  valley,  extending  from 
hill  to  hill,  from  dale  to  dale,  for  so  many  long  miles.     No  wonder  that 
the  Indians  fought  so  hard  to  retain,  or  the  Virginians  to  acquire  it; 
nor  was  it  until  much  blood  had  saturated  the  ground,  many  reeking 
scalps  had  been  torn  from  the  head,  and  many  a  mother  and  her  chil- 
dren murdered  at  their  hearths,  that  the  contest  was  relinquished.     So 
severe  were  the  struggles,  that  the  ground  obtained  the  name  of  the 
"  Bloody  Ground."     But  the  strife  is  over ;  the  red  man  has  been  exter- 
minated, and  peace  and  plenty  now  reign  over  this  smiling  country. 
It  is  indeed  a  beautiful  and  bounteous  land;  on  the  whole,  the  most 
eligible  in  the  Union.    The  valley  is  seven  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea,  and,  therefore,  not  so  subject  to  fevers  as  the  States 
of  Indiana  and  Illinois,  and  indeed  that  portion  of  its  own  state  which 
borders  on  the  Mississippi.     But  all  the  rest  of  the  Kentucky  land  is 
by  no  means  equal  in  richness  of  soil  to  that  of  this  valley.    There  are 
about  ninety  counties  in  the  State,  of  which  about  thirty  are  of  rich 
land;  but  four  of  them,  namely,  Payette,  Bourbon,  Scotts,  and  Wood- 
ibrd,  are  the  finest.     The  whole  of  these  four  counties  are  held  by  large 
proprietors,  who  graze  and  breed  stock  to  a  very  great  extent,  supply- 
ing the  whole  of  the  Western  States  with  the  best  description  of  every 
kind  of  cattle.    Catt'.e-shows  are  held  every  year,  and  high  prizes 
awarded  to  the  owners  of  the  finest  beasts  which  are  there  pMauced. 
The  State  of  Kentucky,  as  well  as  Virginia,  is  in  fact  an  asrieultural 
and  grazing  State ;  the  pasture  is  very  rich,  and  studded  witn  oak  and 
other  timber,  as  in  the  manner  1  have  described  in  loway  and  Wiscon- 
sin.    The  staples  of  Kentucky  are  hemp  and  mules;  the  latter  are  in 
such  demand  for  the  south  that  they  can  hardly  produce  them  fast 
enough  for  the  market.     The  minimum  price  of  a  three-year  old  mule 
is  about  eis:hty  dollars;  the  maximum  usually  one  hundred  and  sixty 
dollars,  or  thirty-jRve  pounds,  but  they  often  fetch  much  higher  prvQ^. 
I  saw  a  pair  in  harness,  well  matched,  and  about  seventeen  hands  high, 
for  which  they  refused  one  thousand  dollars — upwards  of  two  hundred 
pounds. 

The  cattle-show  took  place  when  I  was  at  Lexington.    That  of  horn- 
ed beasts  I  was  too  late  for;  but  the  second  day  I  went  to  the  exhibition 
of  thorough- bred  horses.     The  premiums   were  foir  the  best  two-year 
old,  yearlings,  and  colts,  and  many  of  them  were  very  fine  animals. 
The  third  day  was  for  the  exhibition  of  mules  ;  which,  on  account  of 
size  there  being  a  great  desideratum,  are  bred  only  from  mares  ;  the 
full-grown  averaged  from  fifteen  to  sixteen  hands  high,  but  they  have 
often  been  known  to  be  seventeen  hands  high.     I  had  seen  them  quite 
as  large  in  a  nobleman's  carri/ge  in  the  south  of  Spain  ;  but  then  they 
"were  considered  ri\re,  and  of  fjreat  value.     After  all  the  other  varieties 
of  age  had  made  their  appearan'-e,  and  the  judges  had  given  their  decis- 
ion, the  mules  foled  down  this  year  were  to  be  examined.     As  they 
were  still  sucking,  it  was  necessary  that  the  brood  mares  should  be  led 
.  into  the  enclosed  paddock,  where  the  anitnals  were  inspected,  that  the 
foals  might  be  induced  to  follow ;  as  soon  as  they  were  all  in  the  enclo- 
sure the  mai-^^  were  sent  out,  leaving  all  tho  foals  by  themselves.    At 
first  they  commenced  a  concert  of  wailing  after  their  mothers,  and  thea 


140 


DURr  IN  AMBRIOi. 


turned  their  lamentations  into  indignation  and  revenge  upon  each  other. 
Such  a  ridiculous  scene  of  kicking  took  place  as  I  never  before  witness* 
ed,  about  thirty  of  them  being  most  sedulously  engaged  in  the  occupa* 
tion,  all  at  the  sKme  time.  I  never  saw  such  ill-behaved  mules  ;  it  was 
quite  impossible  for  the  judges  to  decide  upon  the  prize,  for  you  could 
■ee  nothmg  but  heels  in  the  air;  it  was  rap,  rap,  rnp,  incessantly  against 
one  another's  sides,  until  they  were  all  turned  out,  and  the  show  was 
over.  1  rather  think  the  prize  must,  in  this  instance,  have  been  award- 
ed to  the  one  that  kicked  nighest. 

The  fourth  day  was  for  the  exhibition  of  jackasses,  of  two-year  and 
one-yenr,  and  for  foals,  and  jennies  also  ;  thid  sight  was  to  me  one  of 
peculiar  interest.  Acruitomed  as  we  arc  in  England  to  value  ajackasa 
at  thirty  sitillings,  we  look  down  upon  them  with  contempt;  but  here 
the  case  is  reversed  :  you  look  up  at  them  with  surprise  and  admira- 
tion. Several  were  shown  standing  Aileen  hands  high,  with  head  and 
ears  in  proportion  ;  the  breed  has  been  obtained  from  the  Maltese  jack- 
ass, crossed  by  those  of  Spain  and  the  south  of  France.  Those  im- 
ported seldom  average  more  than  fourteen  hands  high ;  bu*.  the  Ken- 
tuckinns,  by  great  attention  and  care,  have  raised  them  up  to  fifteen 
hanJs,  and  sometimes  even  to  sixteen. 

But  the  price  paid  for  these  splendid  animals,  for  such  they  really 
were,  will  prove  how  much  they  are  in  request.  Warrior,  a  jackop ,  of 
great  celebrity,  sold  for  5,000  dollars,  upwardsof£l,000  sterfing.  Half 
of  another  jackass,  Benjamin  by  name,  was  sold  for  !^,500  dollars.  At 
the  show  I  asked  a  gentleman  what  he  wanted  for  a  very  beautiful  fe- 
male ass,  only  one  year  old  ;  he  said  that  he  could  have  1,000  dollars, 
£'iifip  for  her,  but  that  he  had  refused  that  sum.  For  a  two-year  old 
jacK,  akown  during  the  exhibition,  they  asked  3O0O  dollars,  more  than 
£QQO.  I  never  felt  such  respect  for  donkeys  before  ;  but  the  fact  is, 
that  mule-breeding  is  so  lucrative,  that  there  is  no  price  which  a  very 
large  donkey  will  not  command. 

1  afterwards  went  to  a  cattle  sale  a  few  miles  out  of  the  town.  Don 
Juan,  a  two-year  old  bull,  Durham  breed,  fetched  1,075  dollars;  an  im- 
ported Durha  cow,  with  her  calf,  985  dollars.  Before  I  arrived,  a  bull 
and  cow  fetched  1,300  dollars  each  of  them,  about  £280.  The  cause 
of  this  is,  that  the  demand  for  good  stock,  now  that  the  Western  States 
are  filling  up,  becomes  so  great  that  they  cannot  be  produced  fast  enough. 
Mr.  Clay,  who  resides  near  Lexington,  is  one  of  the  best  breeders  in 
the  State,  which  is  much  indebted  to  hii.i  for  the  fine  stock  which  he  has 
imported  from  England. 

Another  sale  took  place,  which  [  attended,  and  I  quote  the  prices: — 
Yearling  bull,  1,000  dollars;  ditto  heifer,  1,500.  Cows,  of  full  Durham 
blood,  but  bred  in  Kentucky,  1,245  dollars ;  ditto,  1,235  dollars.  Im- 
ported cow  and  calf,  2, 100  dollars. 

It  must  be  considered,  that  although  a  good  Durham  cow.  will  not 
east  more  than  twenty  guineas  perhaps  in  England,  the  expenses  of 
transport  are  very  great,  and  they  generally  stand  in,  to  the  importers, 
.  about  600  dollars,  before  they  arrive  at  the  State  of  Kentucky. 

But  to  prove  that  the  Kentuckians  are  fully  justified  in  giving  the 
prices  they  do,  I  will  shew  what  was  the  profit  made  upon  an  old  cow 
before  she  was  sold  for  400  dollars.  I  had  u  statement  from  herpropri- 
etor,  who  had  her  in  his  possession  for  nine  years.  She  was  a  full  bred 
cow,  and  during  the  time  that  he  had  held  her  in  his  possession,  she 
had  cleared  him  15,000  dollars  by  the  sale  of  her  progeny  :  As  fol- 
lows : — 


iS 


-  w 


f 


cii'\ 


DURT  IH  AMERICA. 


141 


)ach  other, 
e  witnesi" 
tie  occupac 
les ;  it  was 
you  coutd 
ily  againrt 
show  was 
een  award- 

o*year  and^ 
I  me  one  ot 
ue  a  jackasa 
f,  but  here 
ind  admira- 
th  head  and 
laltese  jack- 
Those  im- 
ut  the  Ken- 
ip  to  fifteen 

ithey  really 
,  a  jackas  ,  of 
terfing.  Half 
dollaifl.  At 
beautiful  fe- 
1,000  dollars, 
two-year  old 
rs,  more  than 
L  the  fact  is, 
^hich  a  very 

town.    Don 

ars ;  an  im- 

rrived.abull 

The  cause 

restern  Slates 

I  fast  enough. 

rt  breeders  in 

which  he  has 

the  prices  :— 
f  lull  Durham 
dollars.    Im- 

cowwill  not 
J  expenses  of 
the  importers, 

ickv. 

n  giving  the 

n  an  old  cow 

)xa  hcrpropn- 

as  a  full  bred 

issession,  she 

my  :  As  fol- 


Years. 

Calves. 

Second         Third 
Qeneratioh.  Generation. 

Fourh 
Gksneralion. 

1 
3 
3 
4 

5 
6 

7 
8 
9 

J 

1 

1 

1 
I 

< 

1 

1 
1 

9 

7 

5 

3 

Total,  24— 

averaging  C25  dollars  a  head,  which  is  by  no  means  a  large  price,  as 
the  two  cows,  which  sold  at  the  sale  for  1,»45,  and  1,233  dollars,  were 
a  part  of  her  issue. 

Lexington  is  a  very  pretty  town,  with  very  pleasant  society,  and  af- 
forded me  great  relief  after  the  unpleasant  sojourn  I  had  had  at  Louis- 
ville.  Conversing  one  day  with  Mr.  Clay,  I  had  another  instance  given 
me  of  the  mischief  which  the  conduct  of  Miss  Martineau  has  entailed 
upon  all  those  English  who  may  happen  to  visit  America.    Mr.  Clay 
observed  that  Miss  Martineau  nad  remained' With  him  for  some  time, 
and  that  during  her  stay,  she  had  professed  very  diiferent,  or  at  lebst 
more  modified  opinions  on  the  subject  of  slavery,  than  those  she  has  ex- 
pressed  in  her  book:  so  much  so,  that'onedny,  having  read  a  letter 
from  Boston  cautioning  her  against  being  cajoled  by  the  hospitality  and 
pleasant  society  of  thc'Western  States,  she  handed  it  to  him,  saying, 
"  They  want  to  make  a  regular  abolitionist  of  me."    "  When  ner  work 
came  out,"  continiinl  Mr.  Clay,  "althoush  I  read  but  very  little  of  it, 
I  turned  to  this  subject  so  important  with  us,  and  I  must  say  I  was  a 
little  surprised  to  find  that  she  had  so  changed  her  opinions."     The 
fact  is.  Miss  Martineau  appears  to  have  been  what  the  Kentuckians 
call,  "  playing 'possum."    I  have  met  with  some  of  the  Southern  ladies 
whose  conversations  Oli  slavery  are  said,  or  supposed,  to  have  been 
those  printed  by  Miss  Martineau,  apd  they  deny  that  they  are  correct. 
That  the  Southern  ladies  are  very  apt  to  express  great  horror  at  living 
too  long  a  time  at  the  plantations,  is  very  certain  ;  not,  however,  be- 
cause they  expect  to  be  murdered  in  their  beds  by  the  slaves,  as  they 
tell  their  husbands,  but  because  they  are  anxious  to  spend  more  of  their 
time  at  the  cities,  where  they  can  enjoy  more  luxury  and  amusement 
than  can  be  procured  at  the  plantations. 

Every  body  rides  in  Virginia  and  Kentucky,  master,  man,  woman, 
and  slave,  and  they  all  ride  well :  it  is  quite  as  common  to  meet  a  wo- 
man on  horseback  as  a  man,  and  it  is  a  pretty  sight  in  th.bir  States  to 
walk  by  the  Church  doors  and  see  them  all  arrive.  The  Churches  have 
stables,  or  rather  sheds,  built  close  to  them,  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  cattle. 

Elopements  in  these  States  are  all  made  on  horseback.  The  goal  to  he 
obtained  is  to  cross  to  the  other  $ide  of  the  Ohio.    The  consequence  \» 


143 


nARr  IK  AMtmcA. 


that  it  ia  a  r«||tilar  steeple-chase ;  the  youn^  couple  clearing  everything, 
father  and  brothers  (oHowin^.  Whether  it  is  that,  having  the  choica, 
the  young  people  are  the  best  mounted,  1  know  not,  but  the  runaways 
are  seldom  overtaken.  One  couple  crossed  the  Ohio  when  I  was  at 
Cincinnati,  and  had  just  time  to  tie  the  noose  before  ^their  pursuers  ar- 
rived. 

'  At  Lexington,  on  Sunday,  there  is  not  a  carriage  or  horse  to  be  obtain- 
ed  by  a  white  man  for  any  consideration,  they  having  all  been  regularly 
engaged  for  that  dav  by  the  negro  slaves,  who  go  out  junketting  in 
every  direction.  Where  they  get  the  money  I  do  not  know ;  but  certain 
it  is,  that  it  is  always  produced  when  required.  I  was  waiting  at  the 
counter  of  a  sort  of  pastry-cook's,  when  three  negro  lads,  about  twelve 
or  fourteen  years  old,  came  in,  and,  in  a  most  authoritative  tone,  ordered 
three  glasses  of  soda-water. 
Returned  to  Louisville. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

There  is  one  great  inconvenience  in  American  travelling,  arising  from 
the  uncertainty  of  river  navigation.  Excepting  the  Lower  Mississippi 
and  the  Hudson,  and  not  always  the  latter,  the  communication  by  wa- 
ter is  obstructed  ^luring  a  considerable  portion  of  the  year,  by  ice  in  the 
winter,  or  a  deficiency  of  wp^t  in  the  dry  season.  This  has  been  a 
remarkable  season  fyr  heat  and  drought ;  and  thousands  of  people  re- 
main in  the  States  of  Ohio,  Virginia,  and  Kentucky,  who  are  most  anx- 
iousto  return  home.  It  must  be  understood,  that  during  the  unhealthy 
leason  in  the  southern  States  on  the  Mississippi,  the  planters,  cotton- 
growers,  slave  holders,  store-keepers,  and  indeed  almost  every  class, 
excepting  the  slaves  and  overseers,  migrate  to  the  northward,  to  escape 
theyellow  fever,  and  spend  a  portion  of  their  gains  in  amusement. 

They  go  to  Cincinnati  and  the  towns  of  Ohio,  to  the  Lakes  occasion- 
ally, but  principally  to  the  cities  and  waterinv  places  of  Virginia  and 
Kentucky,  more  especially  Louisville,  where  I  now  am ;  and  Louisville, 
being  also  the  sort  of  general  rendezvous  for  departure  south,  is  now 
crammed  with  southern  people.  The  steam  boats  cannot  run,  for  the 
river  is  almost  dry ;  and  I  (as  well  as  others]!  have  been  detained  much 
longer  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio  than  was  my  intention.  There  is  land- 
carriage  certainly,  but  the  heat  of  the  weather  is  so  overpowering  that 
even  the  Southerns  dread  it ;  and  in  consequp[Ce  of  this  extreme  heat 
the  sickness  in  these  western  States  has  been  ioiach  greater  than  usual 
Even  Kentucky,  especialy  that  part  which  borders' on  the  Mississippi, 
which,  generally  speaking,  is  healthy,  is  now  suifering  under  Rial ignant 
fevers.  I  may  here  remark,  that  the  two  States,  Illinois  and  Indiana, 
and  the  western  portions  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  are  very  un- 
healthy ;  not  a  year  passes  without  a  great  mortality  from  the  bilious 
congestive  fever,  a  variety  of  the  yellow  fever,  and  the  ague ;  morees- 
.pecially  Illinois  and  Indiana,  with  the  western  portion  of  Ohio,  which 
s  equally  flat  with  lY.".  other  two  States.  The  two  States  of  Indiana 
•  nd  Illinois  lie,  as  it  were,  at  the  bottom  of  the  western  basin ;  the  soil 
.8  wonderfully  rich,  but  the  drainage  is  insufficient,  as  may  beoeen  from 
he  sluggishness  with  which  these  rivers  flow.  Many  and  many  thou- 
sands  of  poor  Irish  emigrants,  and  settlers  also,  have  been  strackdown 
by  disease,  n'^ver  to  rise  again,  in  these  rich  but  unhealthy  States;  to. 
which,  stimulated  by  the  works  published  by  land-speculators,  thou-< 
lands  and  thousands  every  year  repair,  and,  notwithstanding  the  annU" 


DURT  IN  AMERICA. 


143 


g  everything, 
ig  the  choice, 
he  runaways 
hen  I  was  at 
r  pursuers  ar- 

e  to  be  obtain- 
been  regularly 
,  junketling  m 
w;  but  certain 
waiting  at  the 
I,  about  twelve 
B  tone,  ordered 


jg,  arising  from 

wer  Mississippi 

nication  by  wa- 

lar,  by  ice  in  the 

:his  has  been  a 

ds  of  people  re- 

\iO  are  most  anx- 

ig  the  unhealthy 

planters,  cotton- 

^ost  every  class, 

liward,  to  escape 

amusement. 

Lakes  occasion- 

of  Virginia  and 

;  and  Louisville, 

■e  south,  is  now 

nnot  run,  for  the 

m  detained  much 

There  is  land- 

rerpowering  that 

his  extreme  heat 

eater  than  usual, 

the  Mississippi, 
under  malignant 
aisand  Indiana, 
«e,  are  very  un- 
fiom  the  bilious 
ague;  morees- 
_.  of  Ohio,  which 
tates  of  Indiana 
1  basin;  the  sod 
aay  beaeenfrom 

I  and  Many  thou- 
ijeen  struck  down 

falihy  States;  to, 
peculators,  thou-, 
anding  the  annU" 


r1  expenditure  of  life,  rapidly  increase  the  population.  I)uid  made  up 
my  mind  to  travel  by  land-carriage  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  through  the 
States  of  Indiana  and  Illinois,  but  two  American  gentlemen,  who  had 
just  arrived  by  that  route,  succeeded  in  dissuading  me.  They  had  come 
over  on  horseback.  They  described  the  disease  and  mortality  an  dread- 
ful. That  sometimes,  when  they  wished  to  put  up  their  horses  at  seven 
or  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  they  were  compelled  to  travel  on  till 
twelve  or  one  o'clock  before  they  could  gain  udinittance,  some  portion  in 
every  house  suffering  under  the  bilious  fever,  tertian  ague,  or  flux.  They 
described  the  scene  as  quite  appaling.  At  some  houses  there  was  not 
one  person  able  to  rise  and  attend  upon  the  others;  all  were  dyint;-  or 
dciid  ;  and  to  increase  the  misery  ot  their  situations,  the  springs  had 
dried  up,  and  in  many  places  they  could  not  procure  water  except  by 
sending  many  miles.  A  friend  of  mine,  who  had  been  on  a  mission 
through  the  portion  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  bordering  on  theMis- 
sissippi,  made  a  very  similar  stniement.  He  was  not  refused  to  remain 
where  he  stopped,  but  he  could  procure  no  assistance,  and  everywhere 
ran  the  risk  of  contagion.  He  said  that  some  of  the  people  were  obli- 
ged to  send  their  negroes  with  a  waggon  upwards  of  fifteen  miles  to 
wash  their  clothes. 

That  this  has  been  a  very  unhealthy  season  is  certain,  but  still,  from 
nil  the  information  I  could  obtain,  there  is  a  great  mortality  every  year 
in  the  districts  1  have  pointed  out ;  and  such  indeed  must  be  the  case, 
from  the  miasma  crated  every  fall  of  the  year  in  these  rich  alluvial  soils, 
some  portions  of  which  have  been  worked  for  iifiy  years  without  the 
assistance  of  manure,  and  still  yield  abundant  crops.  It  will  be  a  long 
while  before  the  drainage  necessary  to  render  them  healthy  can  be  ac- 
complished. The  sickly  appearance  of  the  inhabitants  establishes  but 
too  well  the  facts  related  to  me;  and  yet,  strange  to  say,  it  would  ap- 
pear to  be  a  provision  of  Providence,  that  a  remarkable  fecundity  on 
the  part  of  the  women  in  the  more  healthy  portions  of  their  Western 
States,  should  meet  the  annual  expenditure  of  life.  Three  children  at 
a  birth  are  more  common  here  than  twins  are  in  England ;  and  they, 
generally  speaking,  are  all  reared  up.  There  have  beun  many  instances 
of  even  four. 

The  western  valley  of  America,  of  which  the  Mississippi  may  b« 
considered  as  the  common  drain,  must,  from  the  surprising  depth  of  the  , 
alluvial  soil,  have  been  (ages  back)  wholly  under  water,  and,  perhaps, 
by  some  convulsion  raised  up.     What  insects  are  we  in  our  own  esti- 
mation when  we  meditate  upon  such  stupendous  changes. 

Since  I  have  been  in  these  States,  I  have  been  surprised  at  the  stream 
of  emigration  which  appears  to  flow  fromrNorth  Carolina  to  Indiana, 
Illinois,  aod  Missouri.  Every  hour  you  meet  with  a  caravan  of  emi- 
grants frorh  that  sterile  but  healthy  state.  Every  night  the  banks  of  the 
Ohio  are  lighted  up  with  their  fires,  where  they  have  bivouacked  pre- 
viously to  crossing  the  river ;  but  they  are  not  like  the  poor  German  or 
Irish  settlers:  they  are  well  prepared,  and'have  nothing  to  do,  appar- 
ently, but  to  sitdown  upon  their  land.  These  caravand  consist  of  two 
or  three  covered  wagons,  full  of  women  and  children,  furniture,  and 
other  necessaries,  each  drawn  by  a  team  of  horses;  brood  mares,  with 
foals  by  their  sides,  following ;  half  a  dozen  or  more  cows,  flanked  on 
each  side  by  the  men,  with  their  long  rifles  on  their  shoulders ;  some- 
limes  a  boy  or  two,  or  a  half-grown  girl  on  horseback.  Occasionally 
they  wear  an  appearance  of  more  refinement  and  cultivation,  as  well  as 
wealth,  the  principals  travelling  in  a  sort  of  worn-out  old  carriage,  the 
remains  of  the  competence  of  former  days. 


*l 


J 
<*'"? 


w 


•^' 


144 


BURY  IN  AMERICA. 


<0i 


I  oAen  MimiMd,  as  they  travrllrd  cheerftilly  atonf;,  aaluting  me  as 
they  passed  by,  whether  they  would  not  repent  their  decision,  and  sijgh 
for  their  pine  barrens  and  oeath,  ufter  they  had  discovered  thut  with 
fertility  ihe^  had  to  encounter  such  disease  and  mortality. 

I  have  otten  heard  it  asserted  by  blnKlislinun,  tlint  America  has  no 
coal.  There  never  was  a  greater  ntistake :  she  has  an  abundance,  and 
of  the  very  finest  that  ever  was  seen.  At  Wheeling  and  Pittsburg,  and 
on  all  the  borders  uf the  Ohio  river  above  Quyandotte,  ihey  have  un  in> 
exhaustible  supply,  equal  to  the  very  best  ofiercd  to  the  London  moiket. 
All  the  spurs  o\  the  Alleghany  range  appear  to  be  one  massofcoal.  In 
the  Eastern  States  the  coal  is  of  a  dincrent  qualify,  although  (here  is 
some  very  tolerable.  The  anthracite  is  bad,  throwing  out  a  strong  sul- 
phureous ^as.  The  filct  is  that  wood  is  at  niesent  cheaper  than  coal, 
and  therefore  the  latter  is  not  in  dennand.  An  American  told  me  one 
day,  that  a  company  had  been  working  a  coal  mine  in  an  Eastern 
State,  which  proved  to  be  of  a  very  bad  quality  ;  they  had  sent  some  to 
aninrtuential  person  as  a  present,  requesting  him  to  give  his  opinion  of 
it,  as  (hat  would  be  important  to  them.  Ai\er  a  certain  time  he  for- 
warded to  them  a  certificate  couched  in  such  terms  as  these: — 

"  1  do  hereby  certify  that  I  have  tried  the  coal  sent  me  by  the  company 
at ,  and  it  is  my  decided  opinion,  that  when  (he  general  con- 
flagration of  the  world  shall  take  filuce,  any  man  who  will  take  his  po- 
sition on  that  coal-mine  will  certainly  be  the  lait  man  who  will  be 
burnt."  ly 

1  had  to  travel  by  coach  for  six  days  and  nights,  to  arrive  at  Balti- 
more. As  itmay  be  supposed,  1  was  not  a  little  tired  before  my  journey 
was  half  over;  1  therefore  was  glad  when  the  coach  stopped  for  a  few 
hours,  to  throw  off  my  coat,  and  lie  down  on  abed.  Atone  town, 
where  1  had  stopped,  I  had  been  reposing  more  than  two  hours  when 
my  door  was  opened — but  this  was  too  common  a  circumstance  for  me 
to  think  any  thing  of  it ;  the  people  would  come  into  my  room  whether 
I  was  in  bed  or  out  of  bed,dressea  or  not  dressed,  and  if  I  expostulated, 
they  would  reply,  "  Never  mind,  we  don't  care,  Captain."  On  this  oc- 
casion i  called  out,  "  V/ell,  what  do  you  want  1" 

*' Are  you  Captain  M V  said  the  person  walking  up  to  the  bed 

where  I  was  lying. 

"  Yes,  I  am,"  replied  I. 

"  Well,  I  reckon  I  wouldn't  allow  you  to  go  through  our  town  with- 
out seeing  you  any  how.  Of  all  the  humans,  you're  the  one  I  most 
Wish  to  see.^' 

I  told  him  I  was  highly  flattered. 

"Well 
the  bed  in  his  great  coat,  "  I'll  just  tell  yc 

the  bar,  *  Aint  the  Captain  in  your  house  V  '  Yes,'  says  he.  '  Then 
where  is  heV  says  I.  'Oh/  says  he,  '  he's  gone  into  his  own  room, 
and  locked  himself  up;  he's  a  d — d  aristocrat,  and  won't  drink  at  the 

bar  with  other  gentlemen/    So,  thought  I,  I've  read  M 's  works, 

and  I'll  be  swamped  if  he  is  an  aristocrat,  and  by  the  'tarnal  I'll  go  up 
and  see ;  so  here  I  am,  and  you're  no  aristocrat. 

"  1  should  think  not,"  replied  I,  moving  my  feet  away,  which  he  was 
half  sitting  on. 

"  Oh,  don't  move :  never  mind  me,  Captain,  I'm  quite  comfortable. 
And  how  do  you  flna  yourself  by  this  time  1" 

"  Very  tired  indeed,''  replied  1. 

*"  I  suspicion  as  much.  Now,  d'ye  see,  1  left  four  or  five  good  fel- 
lows down  below  who  wish  to  see  you ;  I  said  I'd  go  up  first,  and  come 


now,"  said  he,  giving  a  jump,  and  coming  down  right  upon 
n  his  great  coat,  "  I'll  just  tell  you ;  I  said  to  the  chap  at 


BUmT  III  AMniCA. 


146 


uting  me  »• 
on,  pnd  »igh 
ed  thut  with 

lerica  has  no 
Lindance,  and 

iusburg,  and 
y  have  an  in- 
)iidt>n  market. 
LSBofcoal.    In 
hough  there  i« 
It  a  strong  buI- 
iper  than  coal, 
n  lold  me  one 
in  an  Eastern 
d  sent  some  to 

hi»  opinion  of 

lin  time  he  for- 

ese : — 

)y  the  company 

tie  general  con- 
nil  take  his  po- 
tt who  will  be 

arrive  at  Balti- 
fore  my  journey 
opped  for  a  few 
At  one  town, 
wo  hours  when 
iumstance  for  me 
r  room  whether 
I  expostulated, 
III."    Onthisoc- 

dng  up  to  the  bed 


our  town  with- 
1  the  one  I  most 


6own  to  them.    The  ftct  it,  Captain,  we  don't   like  yoa  ehould  paei 
through  our  town  without  showing  you  a  little  American  hospitality." 

So  saying,  he  slid  off  the  bed,  and  went  out  of  the  room.  In  a  minute 
he  returned,  bnnging  with  him  four  or  five  others,  all  of  whom  he  in- 
troduced by  name,  and  reseated  himself  on  my  bed,  while  the  others  took 
chairs. 

"  Now,  gentlemen,"  said  ha,  "  as  I  was  telling  the  Captain,  we  wish 
to  show  him  a  little  American  hospitality ;  what  shall  it  be,  gentlemen  ; 
what  d'ye  say — a  bottle  of  Madeira  1" 
An  immediate  answer  not  beins  returned,  he  continued : 
"Yes,  gentlemen,  a  bottle  of  Madeira;  at  my  expense,  gentlemen, 
recollect  that ;  now  ring  the  bell." 

**  I  shall  be  most  happy  to  take  a  glass  of  wine  with  you,"  observed  I, 
but  in  my  own  loom  the  wine  must  be  at  my  expense." 

"  At  your  expense.  Captain ;  well,  if  it  must  be,  I  don't  care  ;  at  your 
expense,  then,  Captain,  it  you  say  so ;  onlv,  you  see,  we  must  show  yoa 
a  httle  American  hospitality,  as  I  said  to  them  all  down  below  ;  didn't  I^ 
gentlemen  1" 

The  wine  was  ordered,  and  it  ended  in  my  hospitable  friends  drinking 
three  bottles ;  and  then'}  they  all  shook  hands  with  me,  declaring  how 
happy  they  should  be  if  I  came  to  the  town  again,  and  allow  them  to  show 
me  a  little  more  American  hospitality, 

I  ^  There  was  something  so  very  ridiculous  in  this  event,  that  I  cannot 
help  nanating  it ;  but  let  it  not  be  supposed  for  a  moment,  that  I  intend 
it  as  a  sarcasm  upon  American  hospitality,  in  general.  There  certainly 
are  conditions  usually  attached  to  their  hospitality  if  you  wish  to  profit 
by  it  to  any  extent ;  and  one  is,  that  you  do  not^venture  to  find  fault  with 
themselves,  their  manners,  or  their  institutions.' 

^Note. — That  a  guest,  partaking  of  their  hospitality,  should  give  hie 
opinions  unasked,  and  find  fault,  would  be  in  very  bad  taste  to  say  the 
least  of  it.  But  the  fault  in  America  is,  that  you  are  compelled  to  give 
an  opinion,  and  you  cannot  escape  by  a  doubtful  reply  :  as  the  American 
said  to  me  in  Philadelphia,  "  I  wish  a  categorical  answer."  Thus,  should 
you  not  agree  with  them,  you  are  placed  upon  the  horns  of  a  dilemma ; 
either  you  must  affront  the  company,  or  sacrifice  truth. 


Idown  right  upon 

Id  to  the  chap  at 

says  he.    'Then 

►  his  own  room, 

lon'i  drink  at  the 

M 's  works, 

I'tarnairilgoup 

ly,  which  he  was 
tauite  comfortable. 


END  OF  DIARY. 


13 


or  five  good  fd- 
lup  first,  and  come 


REMARK'S,  &c.  &c. 


LANGUAGE. 

Tn  Americans  boldly  p^sert  that  they  speak  better  English  than  we 
do,  and  I  was  rather  surprised  not  to  find  a  statistical  table  tqthat  effect  in 
Mr.  Gary's  publication,    Whnt  I  believe  the  Americans  would  imply  by 
the  above  assertion  is,  that  you  may  travel  through  all  the  United  States 
and  find  less  difficulty  in  understanding  or  being  understood,  than  in  some 
of  the  counties  of  England,  such  as  Cornwall,  Devonshire,  Lancashire, 
and  Suffolk.     So  far  they  are  correct ;  but  it  is  remarkable  how  very 
debased  the  language  has  become  m  a  short  period  in  America.    There 
are  few  provincial  dialects  in  England  much  less  intelligible  than  the 
following.    A  Yankee  girl,  who  wished  to  hire  herself  out,  was  asked  if 
she  had  any  followers  or  sweethearts'!     After  a  little  hesitation,  she 
replied,  *' Well,  now,  can't  exactly  say ;  I  bees  a  sorter  courted  and  a 
sorter  net ;  reckon  more  a  sorter  yes  than  a  sorter  no."    In  many  points 
the  Americans  have  to  a  certain  degree  obtained  that  equality  which  they 
profess ;  and,  as  respects  their  language,  it  certainly  is  the  case.    If 
their  lower  classes  are  more  intelligiole  than  ours,  it  is  equally  true  that 
ihe  higher  classes  do  not  speak  the  language  so  purely  or  so  claseically 
as  it  is  spoken  among  the  well-educated  English.    The  peculiar  dialect 
of  the  English  counties  is  kept  up  because  we  are  a  settled  country ;  the 
people  who  are  born  in  a  country,  live  in  it,  and  die  in  it,  transmitting 
their  sites  of  labour  or  of  amusement  to  their  descendants,  generation 
after  generation,  without  change ;  consequently,  the  provincialisms  of  the 
language  become  equally  hereditary.    Now,  in  America,  they  have  a  die* 
tionary  containing  many  thousands  of  words,  which,  with  us,  are  either 
obsolete,  or  are  provincialisms,  or  are  words  necessarily  invented  by  the 
Americans.     When  the  people  of  England  emigrated  to  the  states,  they 
came  from  every  county  in  England,  and  each  county  brought  its  pro- 
vincialisms with  it.     These  were  admitted  into  the  general  stock ;  and 
were  since  all  collected  and  bound  up  by  one  Mr.  Webster.    With  the 
exception  of  a  few  words  coined  for  local  uses  (such  as  snags  and  saw- 
yers,  on  the  Mississippi),  1  do  not  recollect  a  word  which  I  have  not 
traced  to  be  either  a  provincialism  of  some  English  county,  or  else  to  be 
obsolete  Enelish.    There  are  a  few  from  the  Dutch,  such  as  stoup,  for 
the  porch  of  a  door,  dsc.     I  was  once  talking  with  an  American  about 
Webster's  dictionary,  and  he  observed,  "  Well,  now,  sir,  I  understand 
it's  the  only  one  used  in  the  Court  of  St.  James,  by  the  king,  queen,  and 
princesses,  and  that  by  royal  order." 

The  upper  class  of  the  Americans  do  not,  however,  speak  or  pro- 
nonnce  English  according  to  our  standard  ;  they  appear  to  have  no  exact 
rule  to  guide  them,  probably  from  the  want  of  any  intimate  knowledge  of 
Greek  or  Latin.  You  seldom  hear  a  derivation  from  the  Greek  pro- 
nounced correctly,  the  accent  being  generally  laid  upon  the  wrong  sylla- 
ble. In  fact,  every  one  appears  to  be  independent,  and  pronounces  just 
as  be  pleases. 


LANO0AOC. 


117 


V  But  it  is  not  for  me  to  decide  the  veiy  momentous  question,  u  t» 
which  nation  speaks  the  best  English.  The  Americans  <;  .-^erally  im- 
prove upon  the  inventions  of  others  ;  probably  they  may  '<;'!«  ./proved 
upon  our  language. 

I  recollect  some  one  observing  how  very  superior  the  German  language 
was  to  the  English,  from  their  possessing  so  many  compound  substao' 
tives  and  adjectives  ;  whereupon  his  friend  replied  that  it  was  just  a» 
easy  for  us  to  possess  them  in  England  if  we  pleased,  and  gave  us  as  an 
example  an  observation  made  by  his  old  dame  at  Eaton,  who  declared  tlut 
young  Paulet  was,  without  any  exception,  the  most  good-for-nothingettf 
the  most  provoking'people-e»t,  and  the  most  pokt'ObotU-every-cemer-est 
boy  she  had  ever  had  charge  of  in  her  life. 

Assuming  this  principle  of  improvement  to  be  correct,  it  must  be  ac- 
knowledged that  the  Americans  have  added  considerably  to  our  diction- 
ary ;  but.  as  I  have  before  observed,  this  being  a  pomt  of  too  much  deli- 
cacy for  me  to  decide  upon,  I  shall  just  submit  to  the  reader  the  occa- 
sional variations,  or  improvements,  as  they  may  be,  which  met  my  ear» 
during  my  residence  in  America,  as  also  the  idiomatic  peculiarities,  and 
having  so  done,  I  must  leave  him  to  decide  for  himself. 

I  recollect  once  talking  with  one  of  the  first  men  in  America,  who  was 
narrating  to  me  the  advantages  which  might  have  accrued  to  him  if  he 
had  followed  up  a  certain  speculation,  wheo  he  said,  **  Sir,  if  I  had  done 
so,  I  should  not  only  have  doubled  and  trebled,  but  I  should  have  fourbled 
and  fiveUed  my  money.  "^ 

One  of  the  members  of  congress  once  said,  "  What  the  honourable 
gentleman  has  just  asserted  I  consider  as  catamount  to  a  denial ;" — 
(catamount  is  the  term  given  to  a  panther  or  lynx.] 

"  I  presume,"  replied  his  opponent,.  "  that  the  honourable  gentleman 
means  tantamount.** 

"No,  sir,  I  do  not  mean  tantamount;  I  am  not  so  ignorant  of  oar 
language,  not  to  be  aware  that  catamount  and  tontamount  are  anony. 
mous." 

The  Americans  dwell  upon  Ttheir  words  when  the^  speak — a  custom 
arising,  I  presume,  from  their  cautious,  calculating  habits  ;  and  they  have 
always  more  or  less  of  a  nasal^twang.  I  once  said  to  a  lady,  "  Why  do 
you  drawl  out  your  words  in  that  way  T"^  "''t. 

"  Well,"  replied  she,  '^^Pd  drawl  all  the  way  from  Maine  to  Georgia, 
rather  than  clip  my  words  as  you  En^ish  people  do." 

Many  English  words  are  used  in  a  very  different  sense  from  that  which 
we  attach  to  them ;  for  instance  :  a  clever  person  in  America  means  an 
amiable,  good-tempered  person,  and  the  Americans  make  the  distinction 
by  saying,  I  mean  English  ebver. 

Our  ckver  is  represented  by  the  word  smart. 

The  verb  to  admire  is  also  used  in  the  East  instead,  of  the  verb  to 
like. 

"  Have  you  ever  been  at  Paris'?" 

'•  No  but  I  should  admire  to  go." 

A  Yankee  description  of  a  clever  woman  : — 

"  Well,  now,  she'll  walk  right  into  you,  and  talk  to  you  like  a  book ;" 
or,  as  I  have  heard  them  say,  *<  she'll  talk  you  out  of  sight." 

The  word  ugly  is  used  for  cross,  ill-tempered.  "I  did  feel  so  ugly 
when  he  said  that." 

Bad  is  used  in  an.  odd  sense  :  it  is  employed  for  awkward,  uncomforta* 
We,  scrry: —  „.,,..     ..    ,..,,..  . 


148 


I.ANQOAOI. 


I  t'. 


(    "  I  did  feel  so  badvihen  I  read  that"— awkward. 

'    "  I  have  felt  quite  bad  about  it  ever  aince" — uncomfortable. 

"  She  «ai  80  bad,  I  thought  she  would  cnr"->son7. 
'    And  as  bad  is  tantamount  to  not  good,  I  have  heard  a  lady  say,  "  I 
don't  feel  at  alt  good  this  morning." 

Mean  is  oeeasionally  used  for  ashamed, 
i    "  I  never  felt  so  mean  in  my  life." 

The  word  handsome  is  oddly  used. 

"  We  reckon  this  very  handsome  seeneiy,  sir/'  said  an  American  to 
me,  pointins  to  the  landscape. 

"  I  consider  him  very  truthful,"  is  another  expression. 

"  He  stimulates  too  much." 

"  He  dissipates  awfully." 
;    And  they  are  very  fond  of  using  the  noun  as  a  verh,  a»— 

**  I  Miupieion  that's  a  fact." 

"  I  opinion  quite  the  contrary." 

The  word  considerable  is  in  considerable  demand  in  the  United  States^ 
In  a  wmrk  in  which  the  letters  of  the  party  had  been  given  to  the  public 
as  a  specimen  of  good  style  and  polite  literature,  it  is  used  as  follows : — 

"  My  dear  sister,  I  have  taken  up  the  pen  early  this  morning,  as  I  in- 
tend to  write  considerable."* 

The  word  great  is  oddly  used  for  fine,  splendid. 
"  She's  the  greatest  gal  in  the  Union." 

But  there  is  one  word  which  we  must  surrender  up  to  the  Americans 
IS  their  very  oum,  as  the  children  say.  I  will  quote  a  passage  from  one 
of  their  papers  : — 

"  The  editor  of  the  Philadelphia  Gazette  is  wrong  in  calling  absqua- 
tiated  a  Kentucky  phrase  [he  may  well  say  phrase  instead  of  i>,ord.']  It 
may  prevail  there,  but  its  origin  was  in  South  Carolina,  where  it  was  a 
few  years  since  regularly  derived  from  the  Latin,  as  we  can  prove  |from 
undoubted  authority.  By  the  way,  there  is  a  little  corruption  in  the  word 
as  the  Gazette  uses  it,  absquatalized  is  the  true  reading." 

Certainy  a  word  worth  quarrelling  about ! 

"  Are  you  cold,  miss  1"  said  I  to  a  young  lady,  who  pulled  the  shawl 
closer  over  her  shoulders. 

"  (Some,"  was  the  reply. 

The  English  what  ?  implying  that  you  did  not  hear  what  was  said  to 
you,  is  changed  in  America  to  the  word  how  1 

'  "  I  reckon,"  "  I  calculate,"  "  I  guess,"  are  a)',  used  as  the  'common 
English  phrase,  "  I  suppose."  Each  term  is  said  to  be  peculiar  to  dif- 
ferent states,  but  I  found  them  used  everywhare,  one  as  often  as  the 
other.     /  opine  is  not  so  common. 

A  specimen  of  Yankee  dialect  and  conversation : — 
"^  Well,  now,  I'll  tell  you — you  know  Marble  Head  1" 
:    "  Guess  I  do." 

"Well,  then,  you  know  Sally  Hackett." 
I    "  No,  indeed." 

,    "  Not  know  Sally  Hackett  1     Why  she  lives  at  Marble  Head." 
"  Guess  I  don't.'» 
"  You  don't  mean  to  say  that  1" 
"  Yes,  indeed." 
"  And  you  really  don't  know  Sally  Hackett  ?" 

*Life  and  Remains  of  Charles  Pond. 


IMaVAM. 


14» 


,  American  to 


illed  the  shawl 


lat  was  said  to 


" No,  indeed* 

"  I  guess  you've  hettd  talk  of  her  t" 

"  No^  indeed." 

'<  Well,  that's  considerable  odd.  Now,  I'll  tell  you — Ephrim  Bagg, 
he  that  has  the  farm  three  miles  from  Marble  Head — just  as — ^but  now, 
are  you  sure  you  don't  know  Sally  Hackett  1" 

"No  indeed." 

"  Well,  he's  a  pretty  substantial  man,  and  no  mistake.  He  has  got  a 
heart  as  big  as  an  ox,  and  everything  else  in  proportion,  I've  a  notion. 
He  loves  Sal,  the  worst  kind ;  and  if  she  gets  up  there,  she'll  think  she 
has  got  to  Palestine  (^Paradise) ;  am''t  she  a  screamer  ?  I  were  thinking 
of  Sal  myself,  for  I  feel  lonesome,  and  when  I  am  thrown  into  my  store 
promiscuous  alone,  I  can  tell  you  I  have  the  blues^  the  worst  kind,  no 
mistake — I  can  tell  you  that.  I  always  feel  a  kind  o'  queer  when  I  sees 
Sal,  but  when  I  meet  any  of  the  other  gals  i  am  as  calm  and  cool  as  the 
milky  way,"  &c.  dec. 

The  verb  '*  to  fix"  is  universal.    It  means  to  do  anything. 

'<  Shall  I  frc  your  coat  or  your  breakfast  first  1"  That  is—"  Shall  I 
brush  your  coat,  or  get  ready  your  breakfiast  first  1"" 

Right  away,  for  immediately  or  at  once,  is  very  general. 

"  Shall  I  fix  it  right  away— i.  e.  "  Shall  I  do  it  immediately!" 

In  the  West,  when  you  stop  at  an  inn,  they  say — 

**  Whait  will  you  have  1  Brown  meal  and  common  doings,  or  white 
wheat  and  chicken  fixings ;" — that  is,  "  Will  you  have  pork  and  brown 
bread,  or  white  bread  and  fried  chicken  1" 

Also,  "  Will  you^  have  a  feed  or  a  eheekp" — A  dinner,  or  a  luncheon  t 
-  In  fuU  blast — something  in  the  extreme. 

'*  When  she  came  to  meeting,  with  her  yellow  hat  and  feathers,  wasn't 
tlti9infullblastl" 

But  for  more  specimens  of  genuine  Yankee,  I  must  refer  the  reader  t» 
Sam  Slick  and  Major  Oowmng,  and  shall  now  fMroceed  to  some  farther 
peculiarities. 

There  are  two  syllables — urn,  Alt— which  are  very  generally  used  bjr 
the  Americans  as  s  sort  of  reply,  intimating  that  they  are  attentive,  and 
that  the  party  may  proceed  with  his  narrative ;  but,  by  inflection  and  in- 
tonation, these  two  syllables  are  made  to  exprese  dissent  or  assent,  sur- 
prise, disdain,  and  (like  Lord  Burleigh's  nod  in  the  play)  a  great  deal 
more.  The  reason  why  these  two  syllables  have  been  selected  is,  tiuX 
they  can  be  pronounced  without  the  trouble  of  openint^  your  mouth,  and 
you  may  be  in  a  state  of  listlessnese  and  repose  while  others  talk.  I 
myself  found  them  very  convenient  at  times,  and  gradually  gel  inte  the 
habit  of  using  them. 

The  Americans  are  very  local  m  their  phrases,  and  borrow  their  simile* 
very  much  from  the  nature  of  their  occupationsand  pursuits.  If  you  ask 
a  Virginian  or  Kentoekian  where  he  was  born,  he  will  invariably  tell  yon 
that  he  wa»  raised  in  such  a  county— 4he  term  applied  t»  horses,  andf,  in 
Weeding  states,  to  men  also. 

When  a  man  is  tipsy  (spirits  being  made  (torn  gnm%  they  generally 
say  he  is  eomtd. 

In  the  West,  where  steam-navigation  is  so  abundant,  when  they  ask 
you  to  drink  they  say,  "  Stranger,  will  you  take  in  woodi" — the  vessel* 
taking  in  wood  as  fuel  to  keep  the  steam  v^r  *Bd  the  person  taking  in 
spirits  to  keep  his  steam  up. 

The  toads  in  the  country  being  cut  throivh  woods,  and  the  atuu^  af 

\9* 


150 


liAMaOAAI. 


the  trees  left  standinz,  the  carriages  are  often  brought  up  by  them.  Hence 
the  expression  of,  "Well,  I  am  stumped  this  time." 
I ,  I  heard  a  young  man,  a  farmer  in  Vermont,  say,  when  talking  about 
another  having  gained  the  heart  of  a  pretty  girl,  "  Well,  how  he  con- 
trived to  fork  into  her  young  affections,  I  can't  tell ;  but  I've  a  mind  ta 
fut  my  tehole  team  on,  and  see  if  I  can't  run  him  off  the  road." 

The  old  phrase  of  "  straining  at  a  gnat,  and  swallowing  a  camel,"  is, 
in  the  Eastern  states,  rendered  "  straining  at  a  gatCf  aud  swallowing  a 
saw-mUl," 

To  strike  means  to-  attack.  "  The  Indianshave  struck  on  the  frontier ;" 
— "  A  rattle-snake  struck  at  me." 

To  make  tracks — ta  walk  away.  "Well,  now,  I  shall  make  tracks  ;" 
— from  foot-tracks  in  the  snow. 

Clear  out,  quit,  and  put— all  mean  be  off."  "  Captain,  now,  you 
hush  or  J^  " — that  is,  '<  Eithec  hold  your  tongue,  or  "  be  off."  Also^ 
"WiUyou  shut,  mister  1" — t.  e.  will  you  shut  your  mouth  1  t.  e.  hold 
your  tongue  t 

t    ".Curl  up" — to  be  angi^ — from  the  panther  and  other  animals  when 
angry  raising  their  hair.     "  Rise  my  dandee  up,"  from  the  human  hair;: 
and  a  nasty  idea.     "Wrathy"  is  another  common  expression.    Also, 
"  Savage  as  a  meat  axe." 
j    Here  are  two  real  American  words  : — 
.  "Sloping" — for  slinking  away ; 
'    "Splunging,"  like  a  porpoise. 

The  word  "enthusiasm,"  in  the   south,  is  changed  to  "entuzzy- 
muzzy." 

In  the  Western  states,  where  the  racoon  is  plentiful,  they  used  the 
abbreviation  'coon  when  speaking  of  people.  When  at  New  York,  I 
went  into  a  hair-dresser's  shop  to  have  my  hair  cut ;  there  were  twoi 
young  men  from  the  west^-one  under  the  barber's  hands,  the  other  stand- 
iiig  by  him. 
"  I  aay,"  said  the  one  who  was  having  his  hair  cut,^"  I  hear  Captain^ 

M is- in  thO' country." 

"  Yea,"  replied  the  other, "  so  they'say ;  I  shouldlike  to  see  the  'coon.^* 
.  "  I'm  a  gone  ^coon'*  implies  "  I  am  distressed —  or  ruinedi—or  lost." 
X  once  asked  the  origin  of  this  expression,  and  was  very,  gravely  told  as- 
follows  : — 

"  There  is  a  Captain  Martin  Scott*  in  the  United  States  Army  whoia 
a  remarkable  shot  with  a  rifle.  He  was  raised^  I  believe,  in  Vermont. 
^is  fame  was  so  considerable  through  the  state,  that  even  the  animak 
tifere  aware  of.  it.  He  went  out  one  mornmg  with  his  rifle,  and  spying  a< 
racoon  ^pon  the  up^<tr  branches  of  a  high  tree,  brought  his  gun  up  to  nis- 
^oulder  ;  when  the  racoon  perceiving  it,  raised  his  paw  for  a  parley.  '  I 
b{Bg  your  pardon,  mister,'  said  the  racoon,  very  politely ;  '  but,  may  I  ask. 
you  if  your  name  i»  Scott  V — ''  Yes,'  replied  the  captain.r— '  Martin  Scott  1* 
a>ntinued  the  racoon—'-  Yes,*  replied  the  captain. — *  Caj^ain  Martin 
Scott  V  still  continued  the  animal. — 'Yes,'  replied,  the  captain,.' Captain  i 
Ifartin  Scott  1' — '  Oh !  then,'  says  the  animal,,'  I  may  just  as  well  come 
«)own,  for  I'm  a  gone  ^coonJ  " 

But  one  of  the  strangest,  perversions  of  the  meaning  of  a  vrord  which 
leaver  heard  of  is  in  Kentucky,  where  sometimes  the  word  nasty  is  used^ 
^r  nice.  For  instance :  at  a  rustic  dance  in  that  state  aKentuckian  saidi 
tiban  acquaintance  of  mine,  in  reply  to  his  asking  the  name  of  a  very  fiuft' 


1,  *  Already  mentioned  in  th?  Diaiy, 


tAMOVAOIt 


fvb 


to  "entuzzy- 


girT,  "  That's  my  sister^  stringer ;  and  I  flatter  myself  that  she  showtrtha 
fuutiett  ankle  in  all  Kentuck.** — Unde  derivoUur,  from  the  constant  rifle- 
practice  in  that  state,,  a  good  shot  or  a  pretty  shot  is  termed  also  a  nasty 
shot,  because  it  weald  make  a  ntuty  wound  :  ergo,  a  nice  or  pretty  ankle 
becomes  a  nasty  one. 

The  term  for  all  baggage,  especially  in  the  south  or  west,,  is  "  plunder." 
This  has  been  derived  from  the  buccaneers,  who  for  so  long  a  time  in- 
fested the  bayores  and  creeks  near  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
whose  luggage  was  very  correctly  so  designated. 

I  must  not  omit  a  specimen  of  American  criticism. 

"  Well,  Abel,  what  d'ye  think  of  our  native  genus,  Mister  Forrest  V 

"  Well,  I  don't  go  much  to  theatricals,  that's  a  fact ;  but  I  do  think  he 
fUed  the  agony  up  a  little  too  high  in  that  last  scene." 

The  gamblers  on  the  Mississippi  use  a  very  refined  phrase  for  *'  cheat- 
ing " — "  playing  tbe  advantages  over  liim." 

But,  as  may  be  supposed,  the  principal  terms  used  are  those  which  are 
bonowed  from  trade  and  commerce. 

The  rest,  or  remainder  is  usually  termed  the  balance. 

*'  Put  some  of  those  apples  into  a  dish,  and  the  balance  into  the  store- 
room." 

When  a  person  has  made  a.  mistakei.  or  is  out  in  his  calculation,  they 
say,  "  You  missed  a  figure' that  time." 

In  a  skirmish  last  war,  the  fire  from  the  British  was  very  severe,  and 
the  men  in  the  American  ranks  were  falling  fast,  when  one  of  the  sol- 
diers stepped  up  to  the  conmianding  ofBcer  and  said,  "  Colonel  don't  yoa 
think  that  we  might  compromise  this  afiair  1"  "  Well,  I  reckon  I  should 
have  no  objection  to  submit  it  to  arbitration  myself,"  replied  the  coloneL 

Even  the  thieves  must  be  commercial  in  their  ideas.  One  rogue 
meeting  another,  asked  him  what  he-  had  done  that  morning ;  *'  Not 
much,"  was  the  reply,  "I've  only  realized  this  umbrella." 

This  reminds  me  of  a  conversation  between  a  man  and  his  wife,  which 
was  overheard  by  party  the  who  repeated  it  to  me.  It  appears  that  the 
lady  was  economically  inclined,  and  in  cutting  out  some  shirts  for  hei 
husband,  resolved  that  they  should  not  descend  much  lower  than  his  hips, 
as  thereby  so  much  linen  would,  be  saved.  The  husband  expostulated* 
but  in  vam.  She  pointed  out  to  him  that  it  would  improve  his  figure,  and 
make  his  nether  garments  set  much  better ;  in  a  word,  that  long  shirt- 
tails  were  quite  unnecessary  ;  and  she  wound  up  het  arguments  by  ob- 
serving that  linen  was  a  very  expensive  article,  and  that  she  could  not 
see  what  on  earth  was>  tbe  reason  that  people  should  stuff  so  much  capital 
into  their  pantaloons. 

There  is  sometimes  in  the  American  metaphors,  an  energy  which  i» 
very  remarkable. 

"  Well,  I  reckon,  that  from  his  teeth  to  his  toe-nail,  there's  not  a- 
human  of  a  more  conquering  nature  than  General  Jackson." 

One  gentleman  said  to  me,  "  I  wish  I  had  all  hell  boiled  down  to  a 
pint,  just  to  pour  down  your  throat." 

It  is  a  great  pity  that  the  Americans  have  not  adhered  more  to  tha 
Indian  names,  which  are  euphonous,  and  very  often  musical ;  but,  so  fat' 
from  it,  they  appear  to  have  had  a  pleasure  in  dismissing  them  altogether. 
There  is  a  river  running  into  Lake  Champlain,  near  Burlington,  formerly, 
called  by  the  Indians  the  Winooski ;  but  this  name  has  been  superseded' 
by  the  settlers,  who,  by  way  of  improvement,  have  designated  it  the 
Onion  river.    The  Americans  have  ransacked  scripture,  and  ancient  utdi 


t&l  I  LANOVAtfB, 

modem  faistoiy,  to  supply  themselTes  yrith  nkme«,  yet,  notwithntandinjf^ 
there  appears  to  be  a  strange  lack  of  taste  in  their  selection.  On  the 
fouteto  I^ke  Ontario  you  pass  towns  with  such  names  asManlius,  Sem- 
pronious,  Titus,  Cato,  and  Uien  you  come  to  Buttemuts.  '  Looking  over 
the  catalogue  of  cities,  towns^  Tillaees,  rivers,  and  creeks  in  the  differ* 
ent  states  in  the  Union,  I  find  the  following  repetitions : — 
Of  towns,  &c.,  named  after  distinguished  individuals,  there  are, 


Washingtons 
Jaclcsons 
Jeffersons 
Franklins 
Madisons 
Monroes    . 
Perrys  ' 
Fayettes    . 
HamiltoDS 

Columbias 
Centre  Villes 
Fairfields 
Athenses  . 
Romes 
Crookeds  . 
Littles 
Longs 

Clears 
Blacks 
Blues 
Vormilions  > 

Cedars    "  , 
Cypresses 

Beavers 

BuffaloeH 

Bulls 

Beers 

Dogs 

Elks     . 

Gooses 
Ducks 

Eagles 
Pigeons 


43 

41 

32 

41 

26 

25 

22 

14 

13 

Of  other  towns, 

.    27 

14 

.     17 

10 

4 

22 

.     20 

18 

In  colours' t^iOy  have,. 
13    Greens 
.        .    33    Whites 
.       '.  9    Yellows 

.     14 
Named  after  trees. 


CarroUs 
Adamses  . 
Bolivars 
Clintons    . 
Waynes 
Casses 
Clays 
Fultons     . 

&c.,  there  are, 

Libertys 

Salems 

Onions 

Muds 

Little  Muds  . 

Muddies 

Sandys 


25 
12 


Laurels 
Pines 


After  animals. 


23 
31 

9 
13 

9 
II 


Foxes 
Otters 
Racoons 
Wolfs 
Bears  . 
Bear's  Romp 


After  birds,  &c. 


10 
8 
8 

10 


Fishes 
Turkeys 
Swans 
Pikes 


►H.. 


10 

IS 

8 

19 

14 

6 

4 

IT 


14 
84 
29 
8 
1 
II 


19 
15 
19 


U 
19 

12 
19 
11 
19 
IS 
I 

7 
12: 
1& 


The  consequence  of  these  repetitions  is,  that  if  you  do  not  put  the 
name  of  the  state,  and  eften  toe  county  in  tiie  state  in  which  the  town 
you  refer  to  may  be,  your  letter  may  journey  all  over  the  Union,  and  per' 
naM,  after  all,  nevev  arrive  at  its  place  of  destination. 

The  states  have  already  accommodated  each  other  with  nicknames,  a» 
fet  example : — 

Illinois  people  are  termed    .        #        <^       .        .        Suckers^ 
,    Missouri        .....        .        '       .    Pukes. 

s    Kichigan    *       r   .-  *4^    r       c       r       ,.:      .%,      Wolverine*^ 


LAMaVlOl* 


tS3 


.    Indianiii        .        ....  Hootien. 

)    Kentucky  ...        .        .  Com  Cracker*. 

Ohio  .  .  Buckeyes,  &c. 

The  names  of  persons  are  also  very  strange  ;  and  some  of  them  are, 
at  aU  events,  obsolete  in  Ensland,  even  if  they  ever  existed  there.  Many 
of  them  are  said  to  be  French  or  Dutch  names  Americanised.  But  they 
appear  still  more  odd  to  us  from  the  high-soundine  Christian  names  pre- 
fixed to  them  ;  as,  for  instance  :  Philo  Doolittle,  Popluoram  Hightower, 
Preserved  Fish,  Asa  Peabody,  Alonzo  Lill^',  Alcous  Wolf,  &e.  I  was 
told  by  a  gentleman  that  Doolittle  was  originally  from  the  French  De 
I'Hotel ;  Peabody  frdm  Pibaudiere ;  Bunker  from  Bon  Coeur ;  that  Mr. 
Ezekial  Bumpus  is  a  descendant  of  Mons.  Bon  Pas,  &c.,  all  which  is  very 
possible. 

Every  one  who  is  acquainted  with  Washington  Irving  must  know  that, 
being  very  sensitive  himself,  he  is  one  of  the  last  men  in  the  world  to  do 
anything  to  annoy  another.  In  his  selection  of  names  for  his  writinss, 
he  was  cautious  m  avoiding  such  as  might  be  known ;  so  that^  when  lie 
called  his  old  schoolmaster  Ichabod  Crane,  he  thought  himself  safe  from 
the  risk  of  giving  offence.  Shortly  afterward  a  friend  of  his  called  upon 
him,  accompanied  by  &  stranger,  whom  he  introduced  as  Major  Crane  ; 
Irving  started  at  the  name ;  '*  Major  Ichabod  Crane,"  continued  his 
friend,  much  to  the  horror  of  Washington  Irving. 

I  was  told  that  a  merchant  went  down  to  New  Ovleass  with  one 
Christian  name,  and  came  back,  after  a  lapse  of  years,  with  another. 
His  name  was  John  Flint.  The  French  at  New  Orleans  translated  his 
surname,  and  called  him  Pierre  Fus^e ;  on  his  return  the  Pierre  stuck  to 
him,  and  rendered  into  English  as  Peter,  and  he  was  called  Peter  Flint 
ever  afterward. 

People  may  change  their  names  in  the  United  States  by  application  to 
congress.  They  have  a  story  hardly  worth  relating,  although  considered 
a  good  one  in  America,  having  been  told  me  by  a  member  of  congress. 
A  Mr.  Whitepimple,  having  risen  in  the  world,  was  persuaded  by  his 
wife  to  change  his  name,  and  applied  for  permission  accordingly.  The 
clerk  o(  the  office  inquired  of  him  what  other  name  he  would  liave,  and 
he  being  very  indifferent  about  it  himself,  replied  carelessly,  as  he  walk- 
ed away,  "  Oh,  anything ;"  whereupon  the  clerk  enrolled  him  as  Mr. 
Thing.  Time  passed  on,  a^i  he  had  a  numerous  family,  who  found  the 
new  name  not  much  more  agreeable  than  the  old  one,  for  there  was  Miss 
Sally  Thing,  Miss  Dolly  Thing,  the  old  Things,  and  all  the  little  Things ; 
and  worst  of  all,  the  eldest  son  being  christened  Robert,  went  by  the  name 
of  Thingum  Bob. 

There  were,  and  1  believe  still  are,  two  lawyers  in  partnership  in  New- 
York,  with  the  peculiarly  happy  names  of  Catchem  and  Chetum.  People 
laughed  at  seeing  these  two  names  in  juxtaposition  over  the  door ;  so 
the  lawyers  thought  it  advisable  to  separate  them  by  the  insertion  of  their 
Christian  names.  Mr.  Catchem'a  Christian  name  was  Isaac,  Mr.  Che- 
tum's  Uriah.  A  new  board  was  ordered,  but  when  sent  to  the  painter, 
it  was  found  to  be  too  short  to  admit  the  Christian  names  at  full'  length 
The  painter,  therefore,  put  in  only  the  initials  before  the  surnames,  wtuch 
made  the  matter  still  worse  than  before,  for  there  now  appeared^ —  , 
•<  I.  Catchem  and  IT.  Chetum." 
I  cannot  conclude  this  chapter  without  adverting  to  one  or  two  points 
peculiar  to  the  Americans.  They  wish,  in  everything,  to  improve  unon 
the  Old  Country,  as  they  call  us,^  and  affect  to  be  excessively  refinad  vat 


164 


LARaaiaf. 


their  language  and  ideas ;  but  they  forget  that  ?ery  often  in  the  eoveriiifl'* 
and  the  covering  only,  consist*  the  indecency  ;  and  that,  to  use  the  oM 
aphorism—"  Very  nice  people  are  people  with  Tery  nasty  ideas." 

They  object  to  everything  nude  ^i  statuary.  When  I  was  at  the  house 
of  Governor  Everett,  at  Boston,  I  ibbserved  a  fine  cast  of  the  Apollo  Belvi* 
dere ;  but  in  compliance  with  general  opinion,  it  was  hung  with  draperyr 
although  Governor  Everett  himself  is  a  gentleman  of  refined  mino  and 
high  classical  attainments,  and  quite  above  such  ridiculous  sensitive" 
ness.  In  language  it  is  the  same  thing.  There  are  certain  words  which 
are  never  used  in  America,  but  an  absurd  substitute  is  employed.  I  can- 
not particularize  them  after  this  preface,  lest  I  should  be  accused  of 
indelicacy  myself.  I  may,  however,  state  one  little  circumstance  which 
will  fully  prove  the  correctness  of  what  I  say. 

|£  When  at  Niagara  Falls  I  was  escorting  a  young  lady  with  whom  I  was 
on  friendly  terms.  She  had  been  standing  on  a  piece  of  rock,  the  better 
to  view  the  scene,  when  she  slipped  down,  and  was  evidently  hurt  by  the 
fall ;  she  had,  in  fact,  grazed  her  shin.  As  she  limped  a  little  in  walk- 
ing  home,  I  said,  "  Did  you  hurt  your  leg  much  1"  She  turned  from 
me,  evidently  much  shocked,  or  much  offended,— and  not  being  aware 
that  I  had  committed  any  very  heinous  offence^  I  begged  to  know  what 
was  the  reason  of  her  displeasure.  After  some  hesitation,  she  said  that 
as  she  knew  me  well,  she  would  tell  me  that  the  word  leg  was  never 
mentioned  before  ladies.  I  apologized  for  my  want  of  refinement,  which  was 
attributable  to  having  been  accustomed  only  to  Engliah  society  ;  and  add- 
ed, that  as  such  articles  must  occasionally  be  referred  to,  even-in  the  most 
folite  circles  in  America,  perhaps  she  would  inform  me  by  what  name 
might  mention  them  without  shocking  the  company.  Her  reply  was, 
that  the  word  limb  was  used  ;  "  nay,"  continued  she,  "  I  am  not  so  par- 
ticular as  some  people  are,  for  I  know  those  who  always  say  limb  of  a 
table,  or  limb  of  a  piano-forte." 

There  the  convcrs'^tioH  dropped  ;  but  a  few  months  afterward  I  was 
obliged  to  acknowledge  that  the  young  lady  was  correct  when  she  assert- 
ed that  some  people  were  more  particular  than  even  she  was. 

I  was  requested  by  a  lady  to  escort  hor  to  a  seminary  for  young  la- 
dies, and  on  being  ushered  into  the  reeeption-room,  conceive  ni^  aston- 
ishment at  beholding  a  square  piano  forte  with  four  limbs.  However, 
that  the  ladies  who  visited  their  daughters  might  feel  iu  its  full  force  the 
extreme  delicacy*  of  the  mistress  of  the  establishment,  and  her  care  to 
preserve  in  theur  utmost  purity  the  ideas  of  the  young  ladies  under  her 
charge,  she  had  dressed  all  these  four  limbs  in  modest  little  trousers,  with 
frills  at  the  bottom  of  them  !  J 


*."An  English  lady,  who  had  long  kept  a  fashionable  boarding-school  in 
one  of  the  Atlantic  cities,  told  me  that  one  of  her  earliest  cares  with  every 
new-comer,  was  to  endeavour  to  substitute  real  delicacy  for  that  affected 
precision  'of  manner.  Amon^  many  anecdotes,  she  told  me  of  a  young  lady 
about  fourteen,  who,  on  entering  the  receiving-room,  where  she  only  expect- 
ed to  see  a  lady  who  had  inquired  for  her,  and  finding  a  young  man  with  her, 
put  her  hands  before  her  eyes  and  ran  out  of  the  room  again,  screaming  '  A 
man,  a  man,  a  man !'  On  another  occasion,  one  of  the  young  ladies  in  going 
up  stairs  to  the  drawing-room,  unfortunately  met  a  boy  of  fourteen  coming, 
down,  and  her  feelings  were  so  violently  agitated,  that  she  stopped,  panting 
and  sobbing,  nor  would  pass  on  till  the  boy  nad  swung  himself  up  on  the  up- 
per bannisters,  to  leave  the  passage  free."— Afr*.  TroUope't  Donuatic  Manntrt 
tftht  AnMfteofM. 


165 


I  the  coTerintf, 
to  use  the  old! 
ideM." 

M  at  the  hoate 
B  Apollo  Belvi* 
I  with  drtperyr 
fined  mina  and 
ilous  sensitive- 
in  words  which 
ployed.  I  can- 
be  accused  of 
mstance  which 

ithwhomi  was 
rock,  the  better 
ntly  hurt  by  the 
I  httle  in  walk- 
he  turned  from 
ot  being  aware 
I  to  know  what 
»n,  she  said  that 
i  leg  was  never 
ment,  which  was 
iciety ;  and  add- 
Bvenin  the  most 
I  by  what  name 
Her  reply  was, 
am  not  so  par- 
's say  limb  of  a 

afterward  I  was 
vhen  she  assert- 

was. 

iry  for  youtig  la- 
iceive  my  aston- 
tJ>8.  However^ 
its  full  force  the 

and  her  care  to 
adies  under  her 

e  trousers,  with 


Darding-Bchool  in 
sares  with  every 
for  that  aflFected 
of  a  young  lady 
she  only  expect- 
ing man  with  her, 
n,  screaming  *  A 
ig  ladies  in  going 
fourteen  coming, 
stopped,  panting 
elf  up  on  the  up* 
Jonuatic  Afonntrr 


CREDIT. 

iNthe  state  of  New  York  thev  have  abolished  imprisonment  for  debt : 
this  abolition,  however,  only  holds  good  between  the  citizens  of  that  state, 
as  no  one  state  in  the  Union  can  interfere  with  the  rights  of  another.  A 
stranger,  therefore,  can  imprison  a  New  Yorker,  and  a  New  Yorker  can 
imprison  a  stranger,  but  the  citizens  of  New  York  cannot  incarcerate 
one  another.  Now  although  the  unprincipled  may,  and  do  occasionally 
take  advantage  of  this  enactment,  yet  the  effects  of  it  are  generally  good, 
as  character  becomes  more  valuable.  Without  character  there  will  be 
no  credit— and  without  credit  no  commercial  man  can  rise  in  this  city. 
I  was  once  in  a  store  where  the  widow  who  kept  it  complained  to  me, 
that  a  person  who  owed  her  a  considerable  sum  of  money  would  not  pay 
her,  and  aware  that  she  had  no  redress,  I  asked  her  how  she  would  oIk 
tain  her  money.  Her  reply  was — "  Oh,  I  shall  eventually  get  my  money, 
for  I  will  shame  him  out  of  it  by  exposure." 

The  Americans,  probably  from  bemg  such  great  speculators,  and  aware 
of  the  uncertainty  attending  their  commerce,  are  very  lenient  toward 
debtors.  If  a  man  proves  that  he  cannot  pay,  he  is  seldom  interfered 
with,  but  allowed  to  recommence  businesa.  This  is  not  only  Christian- 
like,  but  wise.  A  man  throwninto  prison  is  not  likely  to  find  the  means 
of  paying  his  debts ;  but  if  allowed  his  liberty  and  the  means  of  earning 
a  subsistence,  he  may  eventually  he  more  fortunate,  and  the  creditors 
have  a  chance  of  being  ultimately  paid.  This,  to  my  knowledge,  has 
often  been  the  case  after  the  release  had  been  signed,  and  the  creditors 
had  no  farther  leaal  claim  upcn  the  bankrupt.  England  has  not  yet  made 
up  her  mind  to  the  abolition  cf  imprisonment  for  debt,  but  from  what  I 
have  learnt  in  this  city,  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying,  that  it  would  work 
well  for  the  morals  of  the  community,  and  that  more  debts  would  even- 
tually be  paid  than  are  paid  under  the  present  system.  Another  circum- 
stance which  requires  to  be  pointed  out  when  we  would  examine  into  the 
character  of  the  New  York  commercial  community,  is,  the  difference 
between  their  bankrupt  laws  and  those  Jof  England.  Here  there  is  no 
law  to  compel  a  bankrupt  to  produce  his  *books ;  every  man  may  be  his 
own  assionee,  and  has  the  power  of  givmg  preference  to  one  creditor 
ov6r  another ;  that  is  to  say,  he  may  repay  those  who  have  lent  him  mo- 
ney in  the  hope  of  preventing  his  becoming  a  bankrupt,  and  all  other 
debts  of  a  like  description.  He  may  also  turn  over  his  affairs  to  an  as- 
signee of  his  own  selection,  who  then  pays  the  debts  as  he  pleases.  A 
bankrupt  is  also  permitted  to  collect  his  own  debts.  f. 

The  Enelish  bankrupt  laws  were  introduced,  but  after  one  year's  trial 
they  were  aiscontinued,  as  it  was  found  they  were  attended  with  so  much 
difficulty,  and,  what  is  of  more  importance  to  Americans,  with  so  much 
loss  of  time.  Again,  in  America,  if  a  person  wishes  to  become  a  special 
partner  (a  sleeping  partner)  in  any  concern,  he  may  do  so  to  any  extent 
be  pleases,  upon  advertising  the  same,  and  is  responsible  for  no  more 
than  the  sum  he  invests,  although  the  house  should  fail  for  ten  times  the 
amount. 

Here  is  an  advertisement  of  special  partnership. 

"  Co-partnership.  Notice  is  hereby  given  that  a  limited  partnership 
hath  been  entered  into  by  Lambert  Morange,  D.  N.  Morange,  and  Samah 
Solomon,  of  the  city  of  New  York,  merchants,  in  pursuance  >of  the  pro- 
visions of  the  revised  statutes  of  the  city  of  New  York.  The  general 
nature  of  the  business  of  said  co-partnership  is  the  manu&cturing  and 


IM 


OltlllT. 


selling  of  fur  and  silk  hats.  The  said  Lambert  Morange  is  the  special 
partner,  and  as  such  hath  contributed  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars  in 
cash  to  the  common  stock  ;  the  said  D.  N.  Morange  and  Samah  Solomon 
are  the  general  partners  ;  and  the  said  business  is  to  be  conducted  under 
the  name  and  firm  of  D.  N.  Moranee  and  Solomon ;  said  co-partnership 
is  to  commence  on  the  14tk  day  of  March,  1887,  and  to  expire  on  the 
14th  March,  1840. 

L.   MoRANQI, 

«  March  14th,  D.  N.  Moranov, 

1887.  Samah  Solomon." 

That  this  loose  state  of  the  bankrupt  law  may  be,  and  has  been,  a  cause 
of  much  dishonesty,  is  true,  but  at  tne  same  it  is  the  cause  of  the  flou- 
rishing state  of  the  community.  The  bee  can  always  work  ;  indeed  the 
bankrupt-laws  themselves  provide  for  a  man's  not  starving.  In  the  city 
the  bankrupt's  household  furniture  is  sacred,  that  his  family  may  not  be 
beggars  ;  and  in  case  of  the  bankruptcy  of  a  farmer,  he  is  permitted  not 
only  to  retain  the  furniture  of  his  cottage;  but  even  his  Dlough,'with  a 
proportion  of  his  team,  his  kine  and  sheep,  are  reserved  for  him,  that  he 
may  still  be  able  to  support  his  family.  Surely  this  is  much  preferable 
to  the  English  system,  under  which  the  furniture  is  dragged  away,  the 
hearth  made  desolate,  and  the  children  left  to  starve  because  their  father 
has  been  unfortunate.     Is  it  not  better  that  a  little  villainy  should  escape 

{tunishment,  than  that  such  cruelty  should  be  in  daily  practice  1  I  say  a 
ittle  villainy,  for  if  a  man  becomes  bankrupt  in  New  York,  it  is  pretty 
well  known  whether  he  has  dealt  fairly  with  his  creditors,  or  has  made  a 
fraudulent  bankruptcy  :  and  if  so,  hia  character  is  gone,  and  with  it  his 
credit,  and  without  credit  he  never  can  rise  again  in  that  city,  but  must 
remove  to  some  other  place. 

In  Encland,  character  will  procure  to  a  bankrupt  a  certificate,  but  in 
New  York  it  will  leave  him  the  means  of  re-commencing  business.  In 
England,  it  is  a  disgrace  to  be  a  bankrupt ;  in  America,  it  is  only  a  mis- 
fortune ;  but  this  distinction  arises  from  the  boldness  of  the  speculations 
carried  on  by  the  Americans  in  their  commercial  transactions,  and  owing 
to  which  the  highest  and  most  influential,  as  well  as  the  smaller  capital- 
ists, are  constantly  in  a  state  of  jeopardy.  I  do  not  believe  that  there  is 
anywhere  a  class  of  merchants  more  honourable  than  those  of  New  York. 
The  notorious  Colonel  Chartres  said  that  he  would  give  20,000/.  for  a 
character,  because  he  would  have  made  100,000/.  by  it.  I  shall  not  here 
enter  into  the  question,  whether  it  is  by  a  similar  conviction,  or  by  moral 
rectitude  of  feeling,  that  the  merchants  of  New  York  are  actuated ;  it 
is  sufficient  that  it  is  their  interest  to  be  honest,  and  that  they  are  so.  I 
etate  the  case  in  this  way,  because  I  do  not  intend  to  admit  that  the 
honesty  of  the  merchants  is  any  proof  of  the  morality  of  a  nation  ;  and 
I  think  I  am  borne  out  in  my  opinion  by  their  conduct  in  the  late  state  of 
difficulty,  and  the  strenuous  exertions  made  by  them  to  pay  to  the  utter- 
tnost  farthing,  sacrificing  at  times  twenty  per  cent,  in  order  to  be  enabled 
to  remit  money  to  their  London  and  Liverpool  correspondents,  and  fulfil 
their  engagements  with  them. 

That  there  is  a  great  deal  of  roguery  going  on  in  this  city  is  undenia- 
ble, much  mor«,  perhaps,  than  (taking  into  consideration  the  difference 
between  the  populations)  in  the  good  city  of  London.  But  it  should  be 
bonie  in  minoi  that  New  York  has  become,  as  it  were,  the  Alsatia  of  the 
whole  continent  of  Europe.  Every  scoundrel  who  has  swindled,  forced, 
M[  robbed  in  England,  or  elsewhere,  mtdces  his  escape  to  New  xork. 


0«W1T. 


167 


Every  pickpocket,  who  ia  too  well  known  'to  the  English  police,  takes 
refuge  Here.*  In  thie  city  they  all  concentrate  ;  and  it  is  a  hard  thing  for 
the  New  York  merchants,  that  the  stream  of  society,  which  otherwise 
might  gradually  becomis  more  pure,  should  be  thus  poisoned  by  the  con- 
tinual inpourings  of  the  continental  dregs,  and  that  they  should  be  made 
to  share  in  the  obloquy  of  those  who  are  outcasts  from  the  society  of  the 
old  world. 

America  exists  at  present  upon  credit.  If  the  credit  of  her  merchants 
were  destroyed  she  wuuld  be  checked  in  her  rapid  advance.  But  this 
system  of  credit,  which  is  necessarily  reciprocal,  is  neverthclesa  acted 
upon  with  all  possible  caution.  Many  are  the  plans  which  the  large  New 
York  importers  have  been  compelled  to  resort  to,  to  ascertain  whether 
their  customers  from  the  interior  could  be  trusted  or  not.  Agents  have 
been  despatched  to  learn  the  characters,  standing,  and  means  of  the 
country  aealers  who  are  their  correspondents,  and  who  purchase  their 
goods ;  for  the  whole  of  the  transactions  are  upon  credit,  and  a  book  of 
reference  as  to  people's  responsibility  ia  to  be  found  in  many  of  the  mer- 
cantile houses  of  New  York. 

Willing  as  I  am  to  do  justice  to  the  New  York  merchants,  I  cannot, 
however,  permit  Mr.  Carey's  remarks  upon  credit  to  pass  unnoticed. 
Had  he  said  nothing  I  should  have  said  no  more  ;  but,  as  he  asserts  that 
the  security  of  properly  and  credit  in  America  is  greater  than  in  Eng- 
land, I  must,  in  defence  of  my  country,  make  a  few  observations. 

At  the  commencement  of  bis  article  Mr.  Carey  says,— - 

"  In  England  confidence  is  almost  universal.  The  banker  ciedits  the 
manufacturer  and  the  farmer.  They  are  willing  to  give  credit  to  the  mer- 
chant, because  they  have  confidence  that  he  will  pay  them.  He  gives 
credit  to  the  shopkeeper,  who,  in  his  turn,  gives  credit  to  the  labourer. 

"  Immense  masses  of  property  change  owners  without  examination ; 
confidence  thus  producing  a  great  saving  of  labour.  Orders  to  a  vast 
extent  are  given,  with  a  certamty  that  they  will  be  executed  with  perfect 
good  faith ;  and  this  system  is  continued  year  after  year,  proving  tnat  the 
confidence  was  deserved." 

Now,  after  this  admission  what  more  can  be  required  1  Confidence 
proves  security  of  property,  and  should  any  change  take  place  so  as  to 
render  the  security  doubtful,  confidence  would  immediately  cease.  It 
is,  therefore,  rather  bold  of  Mr.  Carey,  after  such  an  admission,  to  at- 
tempt to  prove  that  the  security  of  property  is  greater  in  America  than  in 
England  ;  yet,  nevertheless,  such  is  his  assertion. 

Mr.  Carey  bases  his  calculation,  first  upon  the  losses  sustained  by  the 
banks  of  England,  in  comparison  with  those  sustained  by  the  banks  of 
Massachusetts.  Here,  as  in  almost  every  other  argument,  Mr.  Carey 
selects  one  state — a  state,  par  excellence,  superior  to  all  the  others  of 
the  Union  ;  a  pattern  state,  in  fact — as  representing  all  America  against 
all  England.  He  admits  that,  as  you  go  south  or  west,  the  complexion 
of  things  is  altered ;  but  notwithstanding  this  admission,  he  still  argues 
upon  this  one  state  only,  and  consequently  upon  false  premises.  But 
allowing  that  he  proved  that  the  losses  of  all  the  banks  in  America  were 
less  than  the  losses  of  all  the  banks  in  England,  he  would  still  prove 
nothing,  or  if  he  did  prove  anything,  it  would  be  against  himself. 
Why  are  the  losses  of  the  American  banks  less  1  Simply  because  they 
trust  less.  There  is  not  that  confidence  in  America  that  there  is  in 
England,  and  the  want  of  confidence  proves  the  want  of  security  of  pro- 
perty. 

U 


IM 


ORIDIV. 


'  The  next  eompariton  Mvhich  Mr.  Carey  makes  is  between  the  fsiluffts 
of  the  banks  of  the  two  countries ;  and  in  this  argument  he  takes  most 
of  the  states  in  the  Union  into  his  calculation,  and  hn  winds  up  by  ob« 
serving  (in  italics)  that — "  From  the  first  institution  of  banks  in  America 
to  the  year  1837,  the  failures  have  been  less  by  about  one-fourth,  than 
those  of  Enjjland  in  the  three  years  of  18U,  15,  and  16  ;  and  the  amount 
of  loss  sustamed  by  the  public,  bears,  probably  a  still  smaller  proportion 
io  the  amount '  '  business  transactions." 

Now,  all  thib  proves  nothing,  except  that  th«  banks  of  Amoricn  are 
inore  careful  in  aiscounting  than  our  own,  and  'hnt  by  running  less  risk 
they  lose  less  money.  But  from  it  Mr.  Carey  draws  this  strange  con- 
(elusion  : — 

"  Individtials  in  ireat  Britain  enjoy  as  high  n  degree  of  eredil  as  can 
^ssibly  exist,  but  confidence  is  more  universal  in  the  United  States'." 

Credit  is  the  result  of  confidence ;  and  if,  as  appears  to  be  the  case,  the 
American  confidence  in  each  other  will  not  procure  credit,  it  is  a  very 
tiseless  compliment  passed  between  them.  It  is  bimply  this — "  I  am 
certain  that  you  are  a  very  honest  man,  but  notwithstanding  I  will  not 
lend  you  a  shilling."  Indeed,  Mr.  Carey  contradicts  himself,  for,  two 
pages  farther  on,  ho  says : — **  The  existence  of  the  credit  system  is  evi- 
dence of  mutual  confidence." 

I  should  like  Mr.  Carey  to  answer  one  question : — 

What  would  h^ve  been  the  amount  of  the  failures  of  the  banks  of 
America  in  1836,  if  they  had  not  suspended  cash  payments  1  It  is 
Very  easy  to  carry  on  the  banking  business  when,  in  defiance  of  their  char- 
ters, the  banks  will  give  you  nothing  but  their  paper,  and  refuse  you 
kpecie.  Banks  whien  will  not  pay  bullion  for  their  own  notes  are  not 
very  likely  to  fail,  except  in  their  covenant  with  the  public.  But  it  is  of 
little  use  for  Mr.  Carey  to  assert  on  the  one  hand,  or  for  me  to  deny  on 
the  other.  Every  nation  makes  its  own  character  with  the  rest  of  the 
world,  and  it  is  by  other  nations  that  the  question  between  us  must  be 
decided.  The  question  is  then,  "  Is  the  credit  of  America  better  than 
that  of  England,  in  the  intercourse  of  the  two  countries  with  each  other, 
luid  with  foreign  national"    Let  the  commercial  world  decide. 

)  PENITENTIARIES,  &c. 

AtTHouGH,  during  my  residence  in  the  cities  of  the  United  States,  I 
visited  most  of  the  public  institutions,  I  have  not  referred  to  them  at  the 
time  in  my  Diary,  as  they  hav,e  been  so  often  described  by  preceding 
travellers.  I  shall  now,  however,  make  a  few  remarks  upon  the  peni- 
tentiary system. 

I  think  it  was  Wilkes  who  said,  that  the  very  worst  use  to  which  you 
could  put  a  man  was  to  banc  him  ;  and  such  appears  to  be  the  opinion  in 
America.  That  hanging  does  not  prevent  crime,  where  people  are 
driven  into  it  by  misery  and  want,  I  believe  ;  but  it  does  prevent  crime 
where  people  commit  it  merely  from  an  unrestrained  indulgence  of  their 
passions.  This  hait  been  satisfactorily  proved  in  the  United  States.  At 
one  time  the  murders  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans  were  just  ati  frequent 
as  in  all  the  states  contiguous  to  the  Mississippi ;  but  the  population  of 
the  city  determined  to  put  an  end  to  such  scenes  of  outrage.  The  popula- 
tion of  New  Orleans  is  very  diflferent  from  that  of  the  southern  states  in 
general,  being  composed  of  Americans  from  the  eastern  states,  English 
merchants,  and  French  Creoles.    Vigorous  laws  and  an  efiicient  police 


if 


PINITINTUKiaS. 


IM 


ware  eitubtished ;  and  one  of  the  aouthern  plantert,  of  good  family  and 
oonnexioiu,  having  committed  a  murder,  was  tried  and  condemned.  To 
avoid  the  gallowi,  he  committed  auicide  in  prison.  This  system  having 
been  rigorously  followed  up,  New  Orleans  has  become  perhaps  the  ta/eat 
city  in  the  Union ;  and  now,  not  even  a  brawl  is  heara  in  those  streets 
where,  a  few  years  back,  murders  occuned  every  hour  of  the  day. 

In  another  chapter  I  shall  enter  more  fully  into  this  question :  at  pre- 
sent I  shall  only  say  that  there  is  a  great  unwillingness  to  tajce  away  Ufa 
in  America,  and  it  is  this  aversion  to  capital  punishment  which  has  di« 
rected  the  attention  of  the  American  commumty  to  the  penitentiary  sys- 
tem. Several  varieties  of  this  species  of  punishment  have  been  r-^sorted 
to,  more  or  less  severe.  The  most  rigid — that  of  solitary  confmeiucnt 
in  dark  cells,  and  without  labour — was  found  too  great  an  infliction,  as,  in 
many  cases,  it  unsettled  the  reason,  and  ended  in  confirmed  lunacy. 
Confinement,  with  the  boon  of  light,  but  without  employment,  was  pro- 
ductive of  BO  good  eflfcct ;  the  culprit  sank  into  a  state  of  apathy  and 
indifference.  After  a  certain  time,  day  and  night  passed  away  unlieeded, 
from  the  want  of  a  healthy  tone  to  the  mind!  The  prisoners  were  no 
longer  lunatics,  but  thoy  were  little  better  than  brute  animals. 
1^  Neither  do  I  consider  the  present  system,  as  practised  at  Sing  Singi 
the  state  prison  of  New  York,  as  tending  to  reform  the  offenders ;  it 
punishes  them  severely,  but  that  is  all.  Where  corporal  punishment  is 
resorted  to,  there  always  will  bo  feelings  of  vindictiveness  ;  and  all  the 
bad  passions  must  be  allowed  to  repose  before  the  better  can  gain  the 
ascendant. 

The  bast  systeia  that  is  acted  upon  is  in  the  Penitentiary  at  Philadel- 
phia, where  there  is  solitary  confinement,  but  with  labour  and  exercise. 
Mr.  Samuel  Wood,  who  superintends  this  establishment,  is  a  person 
admirably  calculated  for  his  task,  and  I  do  not  think  that  any  arrange- 
ments could  be  better,  or  the  establishment  in  more  excellent  hands. 
But  my  object  was,  not  so  much  to  view  the  prison  and  witness  the 
economy  of  it,  as  to  examine  the  prisoners  themselves,  and  hear  what 
their  opinions  were.  The  surgeon  may  explain  the  operation,  but  the 
patient  who  has  undergone  it  is  the  proper  person  to  apply  to,  if  you 
wish  to  knew  the  degree  and  nature  of  the  pain  inflicted.  I  requested, 
therefore,  and  obtained  permission,  to  visit  a  portion  of  the  prisoners 
without  a  third  party  bems  present  to  prevent  their  being  communica- 
tive ;  selecting  some  who  had  been  in  but  a  short  time,  others  who  had 
been  there  for  years,  and  referring  also  to  the  books,  as  to  the  nature 
and  degree  of  their  offence.  I  ought  to  state  that  I  re-examined  almost 
the  whole  of  the  parties  about  six  months  afterward,  and  the  results  of 
the  two  examinations  are  now  given.  I  did  not  take  their  names,  but 
registered  them  in  my  notes  as  No.  1,  2,  3,  dipe. 

No.  lr~a  man  who  had  been  sentenced  to  twelve  years'  imprison- 
ment for  the  murder  of  his  wife.  He  bad  been  bred  up  as  a  butcher. 
(I  have  observed  that  when  the  use  of  the  knife  is  habitual,  the  flinch- 
ing which  men  naturally  feel  at  the  idea  of  driving  it  into  a  fellow- 
creature,  is  overcome ;  and  a  man  who  is  accustomed  to  dissect  the  still 
palpitating  carcasses  of  animals,  has  very  little  compunction  in  resort- 
ing to  the  knife  in  the  event  of  collision  with  his  own  race.)  Tbia 
fellow  looked  a  butcher  ;  his  face  and  head  were  all  animal ;  he  was 
by  no  means  intelligent.  He  was  working  at  a  loom,  and  heui  already 
been  confined  for  seven  years  and  a  half.  He  said  that,  after  the  first 
six  months  of  bis  confinemsnt,  be  had  lost  all  reckoning  of  time,  mi 


160 


PBiriTINTIARIIf. 


had  not  cared  to  think  about  it  until  lately,  when  he  inquired,  and  wa» 
told  how  long  he  had  been  locked  up.  Now  tliat  he  had  discovered  that 
more  than  half  his  time  had  passed  away,  it  occupied  his  whole  thoughts, 
and  sometimes  he  felt  very  impatient. 

Mr.  Wood  told  me  afterward  that  this  feeling,  when  the  expiration 
of  the  sentence  was  very  near  at  hand,  sometimes  amounted  to  agony. 

This  man  had  denied  the  murder  of  his  wife,  and  still  persisted  in 
the  denial,  although  there  was  no  doubt  of  his  having  committed  the 
crime.  Of  course,  in  this  instance  there  was -no  repentance;  and' the 
Penitentiary  was  thrown  away  upon  him,  farther  than  that,  for  twelve 
years,  he  could  not  contaminate  society. 

No.  2— rsentenced  to  four  years'  imprisonment  for  forgery ;  his  time 
was  nearly  expired.  Tliis  was  a  very  intelligent  man ;  by  profession 
he  had  been  a  schoolmaster.  He  had  been  in  prison  before  for  the 
same  offence. 

His  opinion  as  to  the  Penitentiary  was,  that  it  could  dp  no  harm,  and 
might  do  much  good.  The  fault,  of  the  system  was  one  which  could 
not  well  be  remedied,  whicl)  was,  that  there  was  degradation  attached  to 
it.  Could  punishment  undergone  for  crime  be  viewed  in  the  same  way 
as  repentance  was  by  the  Almighty,  and  a  man,  after  suffering  for  his 
fault,,  re-appear  in  the  world  with  clean  hands,  and  be  admitted  into 
society  as  before,  it  would  be  attended  with  the  very  best  effects ;  but 
there  was  no  working  out  the  degradation.  When  he  was  released 
from  his  former  imprisonment,  he  had  been  obliged  to  fly  firom  the  place 
where  he  was  known.  He  was  pursued  by  the  harshness  of  the  world, 
not  only  in  himself,  but  in  his  children.  No  one  would  allow  that  his 
punishment  had  wiped  away  his  crime,  and  this  was  the  reason  why 
people,  inclined  to  be  honest,  were  driven  again  into  guilt.  Not  only 
would  the  world  not  encourage  them,  but  it  would  not  permit  them  to 
become  honest ;  the  finger  of  scorn  was  pointed  wherever  they  were 
known,  or  found  out,  and  the  punishment  after  release  was  'afinitely 
greater  than  that  of  the  prison  itself. 

Miss  Martineatii  observes,  *<  I  was  favoured  with  the  confidence  of  a 
great  number  of  the  prisoners  in  the  Philadelphia  Penitentiary,  where 
absolute  seclusion  is  the  principle  of  punishment.  Every  one  of  these 
prisoners  (none  of  them  being  awaro  of  the  existence  of  any  other) 
told  me  that  he  was  under  obligations  to  those  who  had  charge  of  him 
for  treating  him  '  with  respect.' " 

No.  3->a  very  intelligent,  but  not  educated  man :  imprisoned  three 
years  for  stealing.  He  had  only  been  a  few  months  in  the  Penitentiary, 
but  had  been  continod  for  ten  years  in  Sing  Sing  prison  for  picking 
pockets.  I  asked  him  his  opinion  as  to  the  difference  of  treatment  in 
the  two  establishments.  He  replied,  "  In  Sing  Sing  the  punishment  is 
corporal — here  it  is  more  mental.  In  Sing  Sing  there  was  little  chance 
of  a  person's  reformation,  as  the  treatment  was  harsh  and  brutal,  and 
the  feelings  of  the  prisoners  were  those  of  indignation  and  resentment." 

Their  whole  time  was  occupied  in  trying  how  they  could  deceive 
their  keepers,  aud  communicate  with  each  other  by  every  variety  of 
stratagem.  Here  a  man  was  left  to  his  own  reflections,  and  at  the  same 
time  he  was  treated  like  a  man.  Here  he  was  his  own  tormentor  ;  at 
Sing  Sing  he  was  tormented  by  others.  A  man  was  sent  to  Sing  Sing 
for  doing  wrong  to  others ;  when  there,  he  was  quite  as  much  wronged 
himself.  Two  wrongs  never  made  a  right.  Again,  at  Sing  Sing  they 
411  worked  in  qompany,  and  knew  each  other ;  when  they  met  again, 


rBNITKNTIABlB*. 


IM 


after  they  were  discharged,  they  enticed  one  another  to  do  wrong 
•gain.  He  was  convinced  that  no  roan  left  Sing  Sing  a  better  man 
than  he  went  in.  He  here  felt  very  often  that  he  could  become  better — 
perhaps  he  might.  At  all  events  his  mind  was  calm,  and  he  had  no  feel> 
ings  of  resentment  for  his  treatment.  Ho  had  now  leisure  and  quiet  for 
flelf-ezamination,  if  b^  chose  to  avail  himself  of  it.  At  Sing  Sing  there 
was  great  ir/justice  and  no  redress.  The  itafirm  man  was  put  to  equal 
labour  with  t&e  robust,  and  punished  if  he  did  not  perform  as  much. 
The  flogging  was  very  severe  at  Sing  Sing.  He  once  ventured  to  ez> 
press  his  Opinion  that  sUch  was  the  case,  and  (to  prove  the  contrary  he 
supposed)  they  awarded  him  eighty-o^ven  lashes  for  the  information. 

That  many  of  this  man's  observations,  ii^'the  parallel  drawn  between 
the  two  establishments,  are  correct,  must  be  conceded  ;  but  still  some  of 
his  assertions  must  be  taken  with  due  reservation,  as  it  is  evident  that 
he  had  no  very  pleasant  reminiscences  of  his  ten  years*  geological 
studies  in  Sing  Sing. 

No.  4 — an  Irishman;  very  acute.  He  had  been* imprisoned  seven 
years  for  burglary,  and  his  time  would  expire  in  a  month.  He  had  been 
confined  also  in  Walnut-street  prison,  Pniladelphia,  for  tw6  years  pre- 
vious to  his  coming  here.  He  said  that  it  was  almost  impossible  for  any 
man  to  reform  in  that  prison,  although  some  few  did.  He  had  served 
many  years  in  the  United  States  navy.  He  declared  that  his  propensity 
to  theft  was  only  strong  upon  him  when  under  the  influence  of  Uquoii, 
or  tobacco,  which  latter  had  the  same.'efTect  upon  him  as  spirits.  He 
thought  that  he  was  reformed  now ;  the  reason  why  he  thought  so  was, 
that  he  now  liked  work,  and  had  learnt  a  profession  in  the  prison,,  which 
he  never  had  before.  He  considered  himself  a  good  workman,  as  he 
could  make' a  pair  of  shoes  in  a  day.  He  cannot  now  bear  the  smell 
of  liquor  or  tobacco.  (This  observation  must  have  been  from  imagina- 
tion, as  he  had  no  opportunity  in  the  Penitentiary  of  testing  his  dis- 
like.) He  ascribed  all  his  crimes  to  ardent  spirits.  He  was  fearful  of 
only  one  thing :  his  time  was  just  out,  and  where  was  he  to  go  ?  If 
known  to  have  been  in  the  prison,  he  would-  never  find  work.  He 
knew  a  fact  which  had  occurred,  which  would  prove  that  he  had  just 
grounds  for  his  fear.  A  tailor,  whohad  been  confiiied  in  Walnut-street 
prison  with  him,  had  been  released  ^^S'  soon  as  his  time  was  up.  He 
was  an  excellent  workman,  and  resolyed  for  the  future  to  be  honest. 
He  obtained  employment  from  a  master  tailor  in  Philadelphia,  and  in 
three  months  was  made  foreman.  One  of  the  inspectors  of  Walnut-street 
prison  came  in  for  clothes,  and  his  friend  was  called  down  to  take  the 
measures.  The  inspector  recognized  him,  and  as  soon  as  he  left  the 
shop  told  his  master  that  he  had  been  in  the  Walnut-street  prison.  The 
man  was  in  consequence  immediately  discharged.  He  could  obtain  no 
more  work,  and  in  a  few  months  .afterward  found  his  way  back  again  to 
Walnut-street  prison  for  a  fresh  offence. 

No.  5 — a  fine  intelligent  Yankee,  very  bold  in  bearing.  He  was  in  the 
penitentiary  under  a  false  natue,  being  well  connected  :  had  been  brought 
up  as  an  architect  and  surveyor,  and  was  imprisoned  for  having  counter- 
feit bank  notes  in  his  possession.  ■  Thi^  fellow  was  a  regular  lawyer,  and 
very  amusing;  it  appeared,  as  if  nothing  could  subdue  his  elaatipity  q'f 
spirit.  He  said  that  he  Hid  hot  think  that  he  should  be  better  for 'his  in- 
carceration ;  on  the  contrary,  that  it  would  produce  very  bad  effects.  '•  I 
am  punished,"  said  he^'Vn.^t  for  baji^Dg  passed  counterfeit  notes,  but  foe 
having  them  in  my  poss^strion.    TMi^fits  are,  I  had  l98t  all  my  mone^p 

•14* 


i^'^Wl 

M 

'«mm 

fl^j^^fl 

^:?m 

fmi 

m 

{t'.'^Sa 

'  i'iU 

«i 

^': 


Its 


raNlTBNTlAinfifl. 


by  gambling ;  and  then  the  gamblers,  to  make  me  amends  gave)  me  some 
of  tneir  counterfeit  notes,  which  they  always  have  by  them.  I  do  not 
say  that  I  should  not  have  uttered  them ;  i  believe  that  in  my  distress  I 
should  have  done  so ;  but  I  had  not  exactly  made  up  my  mind.  At  all 
events,  /  had  Twt  passed  them  when,  from  information  given,  I  was  taken 
up.  This  is  certain,  that  not  having  passed  them,  it  is  very  possihle  for 
a  man  to  have  forged  notes  in  hie  possession  without  being  aware  of  it ; 
but  this  was  not  consid^ed  by  my  judges,  although  it  ought  to  have  been* 
as  I  had  never  been' brought  up  before  ;  and  I  have  now  been  sentenced 
to  exactly  the  same  term  of  imprisonmeAt  as  those  who  were  convicted  of 
passing  them.  Now,  this  I  consider  as  unfair  •,  my  punishment  is  too 
severe  for  my  offence,  and  that  always  does  harm — it  creates  a  vindictive 
feeling,  and  a  desire  to  revenge  yourself  for  the  injustice  done  to  you. 

"  Now,  sir,"  continued  he,  "  I  should  have  no  objection  to  compro- 
mise ;  if  they  would  reduce  my  punishment  one-half,  I  would  acknow- 
ledge the  justice  of  it,  and  turn  honest  when  I  go  out  agam ;  but,  if  I  am 
confined  here  for  three  years,  why,  it  is  my  opinion,  that  I  shall  revenge 
myself  upon  society  as  soon  as  I  am  turned  loose  again."  This  was  said 
in  a  very  cheerful,  playful  manner,  as  he  stood  up  before  his  loom.  A 
more  energetic  expression,'  a  keener  gray  eye,  1  never  met  with.  There 
was  evidently  great  daring  of  soul  in  this  man. 

No.  6 — had  only  been  confined  six  weeks ;  his  offence  was  stealing 
pigs,  and  his  companion  m  the  crune  had  been  sent  here  ^rith  him.  He 
declared  th«t  he  was  innocent,  and  that  he  had  been  vorAoiitted  by  false 
swearing.  There  is  no  country  in  the  world  where  there  is  so  much  per- 
jury as  in  the  United  States,  if  I  am  to  believe  the  Americans  them- 
selves ;  but  Mr.  Wood  told  me  that  he  was  present  at  the  trial,  and  that 
there  was  no  doubt  of  their  guilt.  This  man  was  cheerful  and  contented ; 
he  was  working  at  the  loom,  and  had  already  become  skilful.  All  whom 
I  had  seen  up  to  the  present  had  employmetit  of  some  sort  or  other,  and  I 
should  have  passed  over  this  man,  as  I  had  done  some  others,  if  it  had 
not  been  for  the  contrast  between  him  and  his  companion. 

No.  7 — this  companion  or  accomplice.  In'  consequence  of  the  little 
demand  for  the  penitentiary  manufactures  this  man  had  no  employment. 
The  first  thing  he  told  me  was  that  he  had  nothing  to  do,  and  was  very 
miserable.  He  earnestly  requested  me  to  ask  for  employment  for  him. 
He  cried  bitterly  while  bespoke,  was  quite  unmanned  and  depressed,  and 
complained  that  he  had  not  been  permitted  to  hear  from  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren. The  want  of  employment  appeared  to  have  completely  prostrated 
this  man ;  although  confined  but  six  weeks,  he  had  already  lost  the  time, 
and  inquired  of  me  the  day  of  the  weeb  and  the  month. 

No.  8— was  at  large:  He  had  been  appointed  apothecary  to  the  pri- 
son ;  of  course  he  was  not  strictly  confined,  and  was  in  a  comfortable 
room.  He  was  a  shrewd  man,  and  evidently  well  educated ;  he  had  been 
reduced  to  beggary  by  his  excesses,  and  being  too  proud  to  work,  he  had 
noi  been  too  proud  to  commit  forgery.  I  had  a  long  conversation  with 
him,  and  lie  made  some  sensible  remarks  upon  the  treatment  of  prisoners, 
and  the  importance  of  delegating  the  charg^<of  prisoners  to  competent 
persons.  His  remarks  also  upon  American  juries  were  very  severe,  and 
9s  I  subsequently  ascertained,  but  too  true.. . 

No.  9 — a  young  woman  about  nineteen,  ^ohflned  for  larceny  ;  in  other 
respects  a  good  character.  She  was  verysimiei  and  subdued,  and  said 
that  she  infinitely  preferred  the  solitude  of  the  penitentiary  to  the  com- 
^uiy  with  which  she  must  have  associated  ba^'she  been  confined  in  & 


#■'■'■.- 


-J 


»BNtT«NTIAkne0. 


m 


common'  g;aoI.  She  did'  not  appear  at  all  anxious  for  the  expiration  of  her 
term.  Her  cell  was  very  neat,  and  ornamented  with  her  own  hands  in  a 
variety  of  ways.  I  observed  that  she  had  a  lock  of  hair  on  her  forehead 
which,  from  the  care  taken  of  it,  appeared  to  be  a  favourite,  and,  as  I 
left  the  cell,  I  said — *'  You  appear  to  have  taken  great  pains  with  that 
lock  of  hair,  considering  that  you  have  no  one  to  look  at  youl" — "  Yes, 
sir,"  replied  she ;  '*  and  if  you  think  that  vanity  will  desert  a  woman,  even 
in  the  solitude  of  a  penitentiary,  you  are  mistaken." 

When  I  visited  this  girl  a  second  time,  her  term  was  nearly  expired ; 
she  told  me  that  she  had  not  .he  least  wish  to  leave  her  cell,'and  that,  if 
they  confined  her  for  two  years  more,  she  was  content  to  stay.  '*  I  am 
quite  peaceful  and  happy  here,"  she  said,  and  I  believe  she  really  spoke 
the  truth. 

No.  10 — a  free  mulatto  girl,  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  one  of  the 
most  forbidding  of  her  race,  and  with  a  physiognomy  perfectly  brutal ;  but 
she  evidently  had  no  mean  opinion  of  hier  own  charms ;  her  woolly  hair 
was  twisted  into  at  least  fifty  short  plaits,  and  she  grinned  from  ear  to  ear 
as  she  advanced  to  meet  me. '  "  Pray,  may  I  inquire  what  you  are  im- 
prisoned fori"  said  I. — "Why,  sir," replied  she,  smirking,  smiling,  and 
coquetting,  as  she  tossed  her  head  right  and  left^"  If  vou  please,  sir,  I 
was  put  in  here  for  poisoning  a  whole  family.**  She  reallv  appeared  to 
think  that  she  had  done  a  very  praiseworthy  act.  I  inquired  of  her  if  she 
was  aw  :e  of  the  heinousness  of  her  offence.  "  Yes,  she  knew  it  was 
wrong,  but  if  her  mistress  beat  her  again  as  she  had  done,  she  thought 
she  would  do  it  again.  She  had  been  in  prison  three  years,  and  had  four 
more  to  remain."  I  asked  her  if  the  fear  of  punishment — if  another  in- 
carceration for  seven  years  would  not  prevent  her  from  committing  such 
a  crime  a  second  time.  "  She  didn't  know ;  she  didn't  like  being  shut 
up — found  it  very  tedious,  but  still  she  thought— was  not  quite  sure— but 
she  thought  that,  if  ill-treated,  she  should  certainly  do  it  again." 

I  paid  a  second  visit  to  this  amiable  young  lady,  and  asked  her  what 
her  opinion  was  then.—"  Why,  she  had  been  thinking,  but  had  not  ex- 
actly made  up  her  mind — but  she  still  thought — indeed,  she  was  con- 
vinced— that  she  should  do  ii  again." 

I  entered  many  other  cells,  and  had  conversations  with  the  prisoners ; 
but  I  did  not  elicit  from  them  any  thing  worth  narrating.    There  is,  how- 
ever, a  great  deal  to  be  gamed  from  the  conversation  which  I  have  re- 
corded. It  must  be  remembered,  that  observations  made  by  one  prisoner, 
which  struck  me  as  important,  if  not  made  by  others,  were  put  as  ques- 
tions by  me  ;  and  I  found  that  the  opinions  of  the  most  intelligent,  al- 
though differently  expressed,  led  to  the  same  result — that  the  present  sys- 
tem of  the  Philadelphia  penitentiary  was  the  best  that  had  been  invented. 
As  the  schoolmaster  said,  if  it  did  no  good,  it  could  do  no  harm.     There 
is  one  decided  advantage  in  this  system,  which  is,  that  they  all  leam  a 
trade,  if  they  had  not  one  before ;  and,  when  they  leave  the  prison,  have 
the  means  of  obtaining  an  honest  livelihood,  if  they  wish  so  to  do  them- 
selves, and  are  permitted  so  to  do  by  othets.  Here  is  the  stumbling-block 
which  neutralizes  almost  all  the  good  effects  which  might  be  produced 
by  the  penitentiary  system.     The  severity  and  harshness  of  the  world ; 
the  unchristianlike  feeling  pervading  society,  which  denies  to  the  peni- 
tent what  individually  they  will  have  to  plead  for  themselves  at  the  great 
tribunal,  and  which  will  not  permit  that  punishment,  awarded  ana  suf- 
fered, can  expiate  the  crime ;  on  this  point,  there  is  no  hope  of  a  better 
feeling  being  engendered.    Mankind  have  been,  and  will  be,  the  same ; 


<?il 


* 


'# 


IM 


FINITINTIABItit. 


and  it  is  only  to  be  hoped  that  we  may  receive,  more  mercy  in  the  next 
world  than  we  are  inclined  to  extend  toward  our  fellowcreatures  in  this. 

As  I  have  before  observed,  I  care  Uttle  for  the  observations  or  asser- 
tions of  directors  or  of  officers  entrusted  with  the  charge  of  the  p^niten- 
tiaries  and  houses  of  correction ;  they  are  unintentionally  biased,  and 
things  that  appear  to  them  to  be  mere  trifles  are  very  often  extreme  hard- 
ships to  the  prisoners.  It  is  not  only  what  the  body  sutfers,  but  what  the 
mind  suffers,  which  must  be  considered ;  and  it  is  from  the  want  of  this, 
consideration  that  arise  most  of  the  defects  in  those  establishments,  not 
only  in  America,  but  everywhere  else. 

During  my  residence  in  the  United  States,  a  little  work  made  its  ap* 
pearance,  which  I  immediately  procured ;  it .  waa  the  production  of  an 
American,  a  scholar,  once  in  the  best  society,  but  who,  by  imtemperance, 
had  forfeited  his  claim  to  it.  He  wrote  the  very  best  satirical  poem  I 
ever  read  by  an  American,  full  of  force,  and  remarkable  for  energetic 
versification ;  but  intemperance,  the  prevalent  vice  of  America,  had  re- 
duced him  to  beggary  and  wretchedness.  He  was  (by  his  own  request  I 
understand)  shut  up  in  the  house  of  correction  at  South  Boston,  that  he 
misht,  if  possible,  be  reclaimed  from  intemperance ;  a^d,  on  his  leaving 
it,  ne  published  a  small  work,  called  "  The  Rat  Trap,  or  Cogitations  of 
a  Convict  in  the  House  of  Correction."  This  work  bears  the  mark  of  a 
reflective,  although  buoyant  mind ;  and  as  he  speaks  in  the  highest  terms 
ef  Mr.  Robbins,  the  master,  and  bu^tows  praise  generally  when  deserved, 
his  remarks,  although  occasionally  jocose,  are  well  worthy  of  attention ; 
and  I  shall,  therefore,  introduce  a  few  of  them  to  the  reader. 

His  intioduction  commences  thus : — 
-  "  I  take  it  for  granted  that  one  of  every  two  individuals  in  this  most 
fhoral  community  in  the  world  has  been,  will  be,  or  deserves  or  fears  to 
be,  in  the  house  of  correction.  Give  every  man  his  deserts,  and  who 
shall  escape  whipping  1  This  book  must,  therefore,  be  interesting,  and 
will  have  a  ^od  circulation — not,  perhaps,  in  this  §tate  alone.  The 
state  spends  its  money  for  the  above  institiition,  and,  therefore,  has  a 
right  to  know  what  it  is :  a  knowledge  which  can  never  be  obtained  from 
tnB  reports  of  the  authorities,  the  cursory  observations  of  visiters,  or  the  - 
statements  of  ignorant  and  exasperated  convicts. 

•  What  thief  e'er  felt  the  halter  draw, 
With  good  opinion  of  the  law.' 

It  has  been  my  aim  to  furnish  such  knowledge,  and  it  camiot  be  denied 
that  I  have  had  the  best  opportunities  to  obtam  it." 

To  show  the  prevdence  of  intemperance  in  this  country  among  the 
better  classes,  read  the  following  : — 

*'  On  entering  the  wool-shop,  a  man  nodded  to  me,  whom  I  immedi* 
ately  recognized  as  a  lawyer  of  no  mean  talent,  who  had,  at  no  very  dis- 
tant period,  been  an  ornament  of  society,  and  a  man  well  esteemed  for 
many  excellent  qualities,  all  of  which  are  now  forgotten,  while  his  only 
fault,  intemperance,  remains  engraven  on  steel.  This  was  not  his  first 
term,  or  his  second,  or  his  third.  At  this  time  of  writing  he  is  discharged, 
a  sober  man,  anxious  for  employment,  which  he  cannot  get.  His  having 
been  in  the  house  ot  correction  shuts  every  door  against  him,  and  he  must 
have  more  than  ordinary  firmness  if  he  does  not  relapse  again.  From 
lay  inmost  soul  I  pity  him.  Another  aged  man  I  recognized  as  a  doctor 
of  medicine :  his  gray  hairs  would  have  been  venerable  in  any  other 
j^Ucfl." 


PINITBNTUBISS. 


168 


not  be  denied 


The  labour  in  this  house  of  correction  which  he  describes  is  chiefly 
confined  to  wool-pi£king,  stone-cutting,  and  blacksmiths'  work.  The 
fare  he  states  to  be  plentiful,  but  not  of  the  very  best  quality.  Speaking 
of  ill-treatrnenc,  he  says  : — 

'*  The  convicts  all  have  the  privilege  of  complaint  against  officers ;  but 
while  I  was  there  no  one  used  it  but  myself.  I  believe  they  dared  not. 
The  officer  would  probably  deny  or  gloss  over  the  cause  of  complaint, 
and  his  word  would  be  believed  rather  than  that  of  the  convict ;  and  his 
power  of  retaliation  is  so  tremendous,  that  few  would  care  to  brave  it.— 
The  chance  is  ten  to  one  that  a  complaint  to  the  directors  would  be  fal- 
sified and  proved  fruitless  ;  and  the  visit  of  the  governor,  council,  and 
magistrates,  for  the  purpose  of  inquiry,  is  mere  matter  of  form.  When 
they  asked  me  if  I  had  reason  to  complain  of  my  treatment,  I  answered 
in  the  negative,  because  I  really  had  none  ;  but  had  they  asked  me  if 
there  was  any  defect  in  the  institution,  I  would  have  pointed  out  a  good 
many." 
The  monotony  of  their  existence  is  well  described  : — 
"  Few  incidents  chequered  the  monotony  of  our  existenco.  *  Who 
has  got  a  piece  of  steel  in  his  eye V — 'Who  has  gone  to  the  hospital  1' 
— '  How  many  came  to-day  in  the  carry-all  1'  were  almost  the  only  ques« 
tions  we  could  ask.  A  man  falling  from  the  new  prison,  and  breaking 
his  bones  in  a  fashion  not  to  be  approved,  was  a  conversational  godsend. 
One  day  the  retiring  tide  left  a  small  box  on  the  sands  at  the  bottom  of 
the  house  of  correction  wharf,  which  was  picked  up  by  a  convict,  and 
found  to  contain  the  bequest  of  some  woman  who  had  *  loved  not  wisely, 
but  too  well ;'  namely,  a  pair  of  new-bom  infants.  In  my  mind,  their 
fate  was  happy.  If  they  never  knew  woman's  tenderness,  neither  did  they 
ever  know  woman's  falsehood.  There  is  less  pleasure  than  pain  in  this 
bad  world,  and  the  earlier  we  take  leave  of  it  the  better." 

He  complains  of  due  regard  not  being  paid  to  the  cleanliness  of  the 
prisoners : — 

"  A  great  defect  in  the  police  of  the  house  was  the  want  of  baths. 
We  were  shaved,  or  rather  scraped,  but  onoe  a-week.  Washing  one's 
face  and  hands  in  ice-cold  water  of  a  winter  morning,  is  little  better  than 
no  ablution  at  all.  The  harbour  water  is  interdicted,  lest  the  convicts 
should  swim  away,  and  m  the  stone-shop  there  are  no  conveniences  for 
bathing  whatever :  they  would  cost  something !  In  the  wool-shop,  forty 
men  have  one  tnbfuU  of  warm  water  once  a-week.  W^hen  I  say  that 
shirts  are  worn  a  week  in  summer,  and  (as  well  as  drawers)  two  or  three 
weeks  in  winter,  it  will  at  once  be  conceded  that  some  farther  provision 
for  personal  cleanliness  is  imperatively  demanded.  I  hope  neither  this 
nor  any  other  remark  I  may  think  fit  to  make  will  be  taken  as  emanating 
from  a  fault-finding  spirit,  since,  while  I  pronounce  upon  the  disease,  I 
suggest  the  remedy." 
Speaking  of  his  companions,  he  says : — 

"  I  had  expected  to  find  myself  linked  with  a  band  of  most  outrageous 
ruffians,  but  such  did. not  prove  to  be  the  case.  Few  of  them  were  de- 
cidedly of  a  vicious  temperament.  The  great  fault  with  them  seemed 
to  be  a  want  of  moral  knowledge  and  principle.  Were  I  to  commit  a 
theft  I  should  think  myself  unworthy  to  live  an  instant;  but  some  of 
them  spoke  of  the  felonies  for  which  they  were  adjudged  to  suffer  writh 
as  much  nonchalance  as  if  they  were  the  pvery-day  business  of  life,  with- 
out scruple  and  without  shame.  Few  oi  them  denied  the  justice  of  their 
sentences ;  and  if  they  expressed  any  regret,  it  was  not  that  they  had. 


M 


J&.. 


166 


PtNIYEMTIASIM. 


sinned,  but  that  they  had  been  detected.  The  duration  of  the  sentence,  the 
time  or  money  lost,  the  physical  sufiiJring,  was  what  filled  their  estimate 
of  their  condition.  Many  had  groans  and  oaths  for  a  lost  dinner,  a  night 
in  the  cells,  or  a  tough  pjece  of  work,  but  none  had  a  tear  for  the  brand- 
ing infamy  of  their  conviction.  Ye,t  some,  even  of  the  most  hardened, 
faltered,  and  spoke  with  quivering  lip  and  glistening  eye,  when  they 
thought  of  their  parents,  wives,  and  children.  The  flinty  Iloreb  of  their 
souls  sometimes  yielded  gushing  streams  to  the  force  of  that  appeal.  But 
there  were  very  few  who  felt  any  shame  on  their  own  account.  Their 
apathy  on  the  point  of  honour  was  amazing.  A  young  man,  not  twenty- 
five  years  old,  in  particular,  made  his  felonies  his  glory,  and  boasted  that 
he  had  been  a  tenant  of  half  the  prisons  in  the  United  States.  He  was 
sentenced  to  four  years'  imprisonment  for  stealing  a  great  number  of 
pieces  of  broadcloth,  which  he  unblushingly  told  me  ne  had  lodged  in  the 
hands  of  a  receiver  of  stolen  goods,  and  expected  to  receive  (he  value  at 
the  expiration  of  his  sentence.  He  relied  on  the '  proverbial  '  honour 
among  thieves.'  That  i  How  ought  to  be  kept  in  safe  custody  the  re- 
mainder Of  his  natural  life." 

Certainly  those  remarks  do  not  argue  much  for  the  reformation  of  the 
culprit. 

^  By  his  account,  a  parsimony  in  every  point  appeals  to  be  the  great  de- 
sideratum aiined  at.  Speaking  of  the  chaplain  to  the  institution,  he 
says : — 

"  Small  blame  to  him ;  I  honour  and  respect  the/ man,  though  I  laf]gh 
at  the  preacher.  And  I  say,  that  seven  hundred  and  thirty  sermons  per 
unnvm,  for  three  hundred  dollars  and  a  weekly  dinner,  are  quite  pork 
enough  for  a  shilling.  No  man  goeth  a  warfare  on  his  own  charges,  and 
the  labourer  is  woruiy  of  his  hire.  I  do  not  see  how  he  can  justify  such 
wear  and  tear  of  his  pulmonary  leather,  for  so  small  a  sum,  to  his  con- 
science. What  is  a  six-penny  razor  or  a  nine-shilling  sermon  1  Neither 
can  be  expected  to  cut — not  but  his  sermons  would  be  very  good  for  the 
use  of  glorified  seints — but,  alas !  there  are  none  such  in  the  house  of 
correction.  What  is  the  inspiration  of  a  penny-a-liner '!  I  will  suppose 
that  one  of  the  hearers  is  a  sailor,  who  would  relish  and  appreciate  a  sau- 
sage or  a  lobscouce.     Mr.  sets  l>lanc  mange  before  him. — Messrs. 

of  the  city  government  give  your  chaplain  two  thousand  dollars  a-year, 
BO  that  he  may  reside  in  the  house  of  correction,  without  leaving  his 
family  to  starvation ;  let  him  visit  each  individual,  learn  his  circumstances 
and  character,  and  sympathize  with  him  in  all  his  sorrows,  and,  my  word 

for  it,  Mr. will  have  the  love  and  confidence  of  all.     He  will  be  un 

instrument  of  great  good  by  his  counsel  and  exhortations.  But  as  for  his 
public  preaching,  this  truly  good,  pious,  and  learned  man  might  as  well 
sing  psalms  to  a  mad  horse.  Fishes  will  not  throng  to  St.  Anthony,  or 
Bwme  listen  to  the  exorcism  of  an  apostle,  in  these  godless  days.  If  you 
think  he  will  be  overpaid  for  his  services,  you  may  braze  the  duty  of  a 
schoolmaster,  who  is  very  much  needed,  to  that  of  a  ghostly  adviser. 

"  Mr. never  fads  to  pray  strenuously  that  the  master  and  ofHcera 

may  be  supported  and  sustained,  which  has  given  rise  to  the  following, 
tin-pot  epigram : — 

"Support  the  master  and  the  overseers, 

O  Lord  !  so  runs  our  chaplain's  weekly  ditty ; 

Unreasonable  prayers  God  never  hears, 

fie  knpws  that  they're  supported  by  the  city." 


4 


M 


flNltlNTIAtlCf. 


117 


'    tie  complains  bitterly  of  the  conyicts  not  being  permitted  the  use  of 
toy  books  but  the  Bible  and  Temperance  Almanac* 

"Is  it  pleasant  to  look  back  on  follies,  vices,  crimes;  presently  on 
blasted  hopes,  iron  bars,  and  unrequited  labour ;  and  forward  upon  misery, 
starvation,  and  a  World's  scorn  1  In  some  degree  the  malice  of  this  re- 
gulation, vtrhich  ought  only  to  be  inscribed  on  the  statute-book  of  hell,  is 
impotent.  The  small  glimpse  of  earth,  sea,  and  sky  a  convict  can  com- 
mand, a  spider  crawling  upon  the  wall,  the  very  corners  of  his  cell,  will 
serve,  by  a  strong  eiTort,  for  occupation  for  his  thoughts.  Read  the  fol- 
lowing tea-pot-graven  monologue,  written  by  some  mentally-suffering  con- 
vict, and  reflect  upon  it : 

'  Stone  walls  and  iron  bars  my  frame  confine, ' '  ' 

'But  the  full  liberty  of  thought  is  mine. 
Sad  privilege  !  the  mental  glance  to  cast 
O'er  crimes,  o'er  follies,  and  misconduct  past. 
Oh  wretched  tenant  of  a  guarded  cell. 
Thy  very  freedom  makes  thy  mind  a  hell. 
Come,  blessed  death ;  thy  grinded  dart  to  me, 
Shall  the  bless'd  signal  of  deliverance  be  ; 
With  thy  worst  agonies  were  cheaply  bought, 
A  last  release,  a  final  rest  from  thought." 

"  If  the  pains  of  a  prison  be  not  enough  for  you,  I  will  teach  yon  a 
lesson  in  the  art  of  torture  which  I  learned  from  our  chaplain,  or  one  of 
his  substitutes.  '  Make  your  cells  round  and  smooth  ;  let  there  be  no 
prominent  point  for  the  eye  to  rest  upon,  so  that  it  must  necessarily  turn 
tnward,  and  I  will  warrant  that  you  will  soon  have  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  your  victim  frantic'  Look  well  to  the  temperance  trash  you  phy- 
tic ud  with,  and  you  will  find,  in  the  Almanac  for  1837,  a  serious  attempt 
to  make  Napoleon  Bonaparte  out  a  drunkard,  and  to  prove  that  a  rum 
bottle  lost  him  the  battle  of  Waterloo.  The  author  must  himself  have 
been  drunk  when  he  wrote  it.  Are  you  not  ashamed,  to  set  such  pitiful 
cant,  I  will  not  say  such  wilful  falsehood  and  dander  before  any  rational 
creature  1  Did  you  not  know  that  an  overcharged  gun  would  knock  the 
musketeer  over  by  its  recoil  ]  I  do  not  tell  yod  to  give  the  convicts  all 
and  any  books  they  may  desire  ;  but  pray  what  harm  would  an  arithmetic 
do,  unless  it  taught  them  to  refute  the  statistics  of  yoUr  lying  almanac, 
which  gravely  advises  farmers  to  feed  their  hogs  with  apples,  to  prevent 
folks  from  getting  drunk  on  cider  1  Why  not  tell  them  to  feed  thier  cat- 
tle with  barley  and  wheat  for  the  same  reason  1  What  mind  was  ever 
corrupted  by  Murray's  Grammar,  or  Washington  Irving's  Columbus  1 
When  was  ever  falsehood  the  successful  pioneer  of  truth  1" 

His  remarks  upon  visiters  being  permitted  to  see  the  convicts  are  good. 

"  Among  the  annoyances,  which  others  as  well  as  myself  felt  most 
galling,  was  the  frequent  intrusion  of  visiters,  who  had  no  object  but  the 
gratification  of  a  morbid  curiosity.  Know  all  persons,  that  the  most  de- 
based convict  has  human  feelings,  and  does  not  like  to  be  seen  in  a 
parti-coloured  jacket.  If  you  want  to  see  any  convict  for  any  good  rea- 
son ask  the  master  to  let  3'ou  meet  him  in  his  office  ;  and  even  there, 
you  may  rely  upon  it,  your  vist  will  be  painful  enough  ;  to  be  stared  at  by 
the  ignoi-ant  and  the  mean  with  feelings  of  pity,  as  if  one  were  some 
monster  of  Ind,  was  intolerable.  I  hope  a  certain  connexion  of  mine, 
who  came  to  see  me  unasked  and  unwelcome,  and  brought  a  stranger 

*  It  is  rather  strange,  but  he  says  that  he  supposes  that  a  full  half  of  the 
inmates  of  the  house  of  correction  can  neither  read  nor  wite. 


i  »\ 


108 


rXNlTINTUBllt. 


>^ 


with  him  to  witness  my  disffrace,  may  never  feel  the  pain  he  inflicted  on 
me.  To  a  kind-hearted  'Mac/  who  came  in  a  proper  and  delicate  way 
to  comfort  when  I  thousht  all  the  world  had  forsaken  me,  I  tender  my 
most  grateful  thanks.  His  kindness  shall  be  remembered  by  me  while 
memory  holds  her  seat.  Let  the  throng  of  uninvited  fools  who  swarmed 
about  us,  accept  the  following  sally  of  the  house  of  correction  muse, 
from  the  pen,  or  rather  the  fork,  of  a  fellow  convict,  tt  may  operate  to 
edification. 

'To  OOB  VlSlTISB. 

'  By  gszing  at  us,  sirs,  prav  what  do  you  mean  ? 
Are  we  the  first  rascals  that  ever  were  seen  ? 
Look  into  your  mirrors— perhaps  yoti  may  find 
All  villains  are  not  in  South  Boston  confined. 

'  I'm  not  a  wild  beast,  to  be  seen  for  a  penny ; 
But  a'man,  as  well  made  and  as  proper  as  any ; 
And  what  we  most  differ  in  is,  well!  wot, 
That  1  have  my  merits,  and  you  have  them  not. 

'  I  own  I'm  a  drunkard,  but  much  I  incline 
•  To  think  that  your  elbow  crooks  as  often  as  mine  ; 

Ay,  breathe  in  my  face,  sir,  as  much  as  you  will- 
One  blast  of  your  breath  is  as  good  as  a  gill. 

'  How  kind  was  our  country  to  find  us  a  home 
Where  duns  cannot  plague  us,  or  enemies  come  ! 
And  you  from  the  cup  of  her  kindness  may  drain 
A  drop  so  sufficing,  you'll  not  drink  again. 

'  And  now  that  by  staring  with  mouth  and  eyes  open. 
Ye  have  bruised  the  reeds  that  already  were  broken ; 
Go  home  and,  by  dint  of  strict  mental  inspection, 
Let  each  make  his  own  house  a  house  of  coreection.' 

.'  **  This  tnorceau  was  signed  *  Iadionans.*  " 

The  following  muster-roll  of  crime,  as  he  terms  it,  which  he  obtained 
from  the  master  of  the  prison,  is  curious,  as  it  exemplifies  the  excess  of 
intemperance  in  the  United  States — bearing  in  mind  that  this  is  the  merit 
state  of  Massachusetts. 

*'  The  whole  number  of  males  committed  to  the  house  of  correction 
from  the  time  it  was  opened — ^July  Ist,  1833,  to  September  1st,  1837, — 
was  1477.  Of  this  number  there  w^re  common  drunkards  783,  or  more 
than  one-half.  ^ 

"  The  whole  amount  of  females  cominitted  to  this  institution  from  the 
time  it  was  opened  to  Sept  1837,  was  869.  Of  this  number  there  were 
common  drunkards  430,  very  nearly  one-half. 

"  And  of  the  whole  number  committed  there  were— 


Natives  of  Massachusetts 

720  1 

Now  Hampshire 

175' 

Maine         .... 

13v, 

Vermont 

17 

Rhode  Island       .        .        . . 

35 

Connecticut     . 

38 

New  York           .        . 

60 

New  Jersey     . 

3 

Pennslyvania       .        .        , 

28 

England 

Scotland 

Ireland 

Provinces 

France 

Spain 

Germany 

Holland 

Poland 


104 

38 

839 

69 

10 

2 

2 

2 

3 


*. 


m 


Delaware 

Maryland     - 
Virginia   - 
North  Carolina     • 
South  Carolina  • 
Georgia 
District  Colombia 

United  States 
Moral  States    - 
Other  States 


ABXT. 


6 
10 
20 
lOsj 

1 

6 

3 


109 


1241 

1006 

236 


Denmark 

-    ^.          2 

Prussia 

-      1 

Sweden    - 

8 

West  Indies 

•        -        •    12 

Cape  de  Yerds 

-        •          I 

Island  of  Malta 

-      1 

At  Sea     - 

7 

Foreigners    - 

1100 

Unknown 

6 

Total 


2346 


He  sums  up  as  follows  :— 

*'  I  have  nearly  finished,  but  I  should  not  do  jut.  jce  to  my  subject  did 
I  omit  to  advert  to  the  besgarly  catch-penny  system  on  which  the  whole 
conoern  is  conducted.  The  convicts  raise  pork  and  vegetables  in  plenty, 
but  they  must  not  eat  thereof ;  these  things  must  be  sent  to  market  to 
balance  the  debit  side  of  the  prison  leger.  The  prisoners  must  catch 
cold  and  sufier  in  the  hospital,  and  the  wool  and  stone  shops,  because  if: 
would  cost  something  to  erect  comfortable  buildinfc.  lliey  must  not 
learn  to  read  and  write,  lest  a  cent's  worth  of  their  pvenious  time  should 
be  lost  to  the  city.  They  may  die  and  go  to  hell,  and  be  damned,  for  a 
resident  physician  and  chaplain  are  expensive  articles.  They  may  be 
dirty ;  baths  would  cost  money,  and  so  would  books.  I  believe  tlie  very 
bibles  and  almanacs  are  the  donation  of  the  Bible  and  Temperance  so- 
cieties.  Everything  is  managed  with  an  eye  to  money-maJcing — the 
comfort  or  reformation,  or  salvation,  of  the  prisoners  are  mmor  considera- 
tions.    Whose  fault  is  this  1 

The  feult,  most  frugal  public,  is  your  own.  You  like  justice,  but  you 
do  not  like  to  pay  for  it.  You  like  to  see  a  clean,  orderly,  well  conducted 
prison,  and,  as  far  as  ^our  parsimony  will  permit,  such  is  the  house  of 
correction.  With  all  its  faults,  it  is  still  a  valuable  institution.  It  holds 
all,  it  harms  few,  and  reforms  some.  It  looks  well,  for  the  most  has  been 
made  of  matters.  If  you  would  have  it  perfect  you  must  untie  your 
purse-strings,  and  you  will  load  nothing  by  it  in  the  end." 


ARMY. 

A  8TANDi:«a  army  is  so  adverse  to  the  institutions,  and  so  offensive  to 
the  people  of  a  oemocracy,  that,  were  it  possible,  there  would  be  lio  such 
thing  as  American  regular  troops ;  but,  finding  it  impossible  to  do  without 
a  portio*],  they  have  a  force  as  follows : — 


Four  Regiments  of  Artillery  1,606 
Siven  Regiments  of  Infantry  3,118 
Recruite  and  Unattached       1,418 

Total        7,834 


General  Staff  -  •  ^  13 
Medical  Department  -  -  76 
Pay  ditto  -  -  -  -  18 
Purchasing  ditto  -  .  .  3 
Corps  of  Engineers  -  -  28 
Topographical  -  -  •  10 
Ordinance  Department  •  200 
Two  Regiments  of  Dragoons  1,335 

Of  which  military  force  the  privates  amount  to  only  6,652  men. 
'    This  is  very  insufficient,  even  to  distribute  among  the  frontier  fovts  as 
a  check  to  the  Indians  ;  but  now,  that  the  Florida  war  has  so  long  occu- 
pied the  troops,  these  outposts  have  been  left  in  a  very  unprotected  state,, 

15 


m 


AXllT. 


Isolated  aa  the  officers  are  from  the  world,  (for  these  forts  are  far  removed 
from  towns  or  cities,)  thoy  contrived  to  form  a  society  within  themselvei, 
having  most  of  them  recourse  to  matrimony,  which  always  'gives  a  man 
sometning  to  do,  and  acts  as  a  fillip  npon  his  faculties,  which  might  stag- 
nate from  such  quiet  monotony.  The  society,  therefore,  at  these  out- 
posts is  small,  but  very  pleasant.  All  the  officers  being  now  educated  at 
West  Point,  they  are  mostly  very  intelligent  and  well  informed,  and 
soldiers'  wives  arc  always  agreeable  women  all  over  the  world.  The 
barracks  turned  out  also  a  very  fair  show  of  children  upon  the  green 
sward.  The  accommodations  are,  generally  speaking,  very  good,  and, 
when  supplies  can  be  received,  the  living  is  equally  so  ;  when  they  can- 
not, it  can't  be  helped,  and  there  is  so  much  money  saved.  A  suttler's 
•tore  is  attached  to  each  outpost,  and  the  prices  of  the  articles  are  regu- 
lated by  a  committee  of  officers,  and  a  tax  is  also  levied  upon  the  sut- 
tler  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  men  in  the  garrison,  the  proceeds  of 
which  are  appropriated  to  the  education  of  the  children  of  the  soldiers 
and  the  provision  of  a  library  and  news-room.  If  the  government  were 
to  permit  officers  to  remain  at  any  one  station  for  a  certain  period, 
much  more  would  be  done ;  but  the  government  is  continually  shifting 
them  from  post  to  post,  and  no  one  will  take  the  trouble  to  sow  when  he 
has  no  chance  of  reaping  the  harvest.  Indeed,  many  of  the  officers 
complained  that  they  hardly  had  time  to  furnish  their  apartments  in  one 
fort  when  they  were  ordered  off  to  another — not  only  a  great  inconve- 
nience to  them,  but  a  great  expense  also. 

The  American  army  is  not  a  favourite  service,  and  this  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at.  It  is  ill-treated  in  every  wa^ ;  the  people  have  a  great  dis- 
like to  them,  which  is  natural  enough  m  a  Democracy ;  but  what  is 
worse,  to  curry  favour  with  the  people,  the  government  very  often  do 
not  support  the  officers  iu  the  execution  of  their  duty.  Their  furloughs 
are  very  limited,  and  they  have  their  choice  of  the  outposts,  where  they 
live  out  of  the  world,  or  the  Florida  war,  when  they  go  out  of  it.  But 
the  greatest  injustice  is,  that  they  have  no  half-pay  :  if  not  wishing  to 
be  employed  they  must  resign  their  commissions  and  live  as  they  can. 
In  this  point  there  is  a  great  partiality  shown  to  the  navy,  who  have 
such  excellent  half-pay,  although,  to  prevent  remarks  at  such  glaring 
injustice  to  the  other  service,  another  term  is  given  to  the  naval  halt- 
pay,  and  the  naval  officers  are  supposed  to  be  always  on  service. 

The  officers  of  the  army  are  paid  a  certain  slim,  and  allowed  a  certain 
number  of  rations  per  month ;  for  instance,  a  major-general  has  two 
hundred  dollars  per  month,  and  fifteen  rations.  According  to  the  esti- 
mated value  of  the  rations,  as  given  to  me  by  one  of  the  officers,  the 
annual  pay  of  the  diflerent  grades  will  be,  in  our  money,  nearly  as 


follows : — 

ARMY. 

Army. 

£. 

Major-General 

850 

Brigadier- General 

.     fi70 

Same  rank 

Colonel   .... 

340 

«   Do. 

Lieutenant-Colonel 

.     280 

Major      .        .        .        . 

225 

Do. 

Captain 

.     200 

Do. 

First  Lieutenant 

160 

Second  Lieutenant 

.     140 

Cadet      . 

90 

Do. 

Navy. 


£. 

960 
830 

625 
880 


166 


The  cavalry  officers  have  a  slight  increase  of  pay. 


*« 


ikKMr. 


m 


The  privates  of  the  American  regular  army  aro  not  the  moat  creditabl* 
eoldiera  in  the  world  ;  they  are  chictly  composed  of  Irish  emigrants,  Ger- 
mans, and  deserters  from  the  English  regiments  in  Canada.  Americant 
are  very  rare ;  only  those  who  can  find  nothing  else  to  do,  and  have  to 
choose  between  enlistment  and  starvation,  will  enter  into  the  Amcricaa 
army.  They  do  not,  however,  enlist  for  longer  than  three  years.  Thora 
is  not  much  discipline,  and  occasionally  a  great  deal  of  insolence,  as 
might  be  eipected  from  such  a  collection.  Corporal  punishment  hai 
been  abolished  in  the  American  army  except  for  desertion  ;  and  if  ever 
there  was  a  proof  of  the  necessity  of  punishment  to  enforce  discipline, 
it  is  the  many  substitutes  in  lieu  of  it,  to  which  the  officers  aro  compelled 
to  resort — all  of  them  more  severe  than  flogging.  The  most  common  is 
that  of  loading  a  man  with  thirty-six  pounds  of  shot  in  his  knapsack, 
and  making  him  walk  three  hours  out  of  four,  day  and  night  without  in- 
termission, with  this  weight  on  his  shoulders,  for  six  days  and  six  nights ; 
that  is,  he  is  compelled  to  walk  three  hours  with  the  weight,  and  then  is 
suffered  to  sit  down  one.  Towards  the  close  this  punishment  becomes 
very  severe ;  the  feet  of  the  men  are  so  sore  and  swelled,  that  they 
cannot  move  for  some  days  afterwards.  I  in(}uired  what  would  be  the 
consequence  if  a  man  was  to  throw  down  his  knapsack  and  refuse  to 
walk.  The  commanding-ofHcer  of  one  of  the  forts  replied,  that  he  would 
be  hung  up  by  the  thumbs  till  he  fainted — a  variety  of  piquetting[.  Surely 
these  punishments  savour  quite  as  much  of  severity,  and  are  quite  as  de- 
grading as  flogging.  I 

The  pay  of  an  American  private  is  good — fourteen  dollars  a  month, 
out  of  which  his  rations  and  regimentals  take  eight  dollars,  leaving  him 
six  dollars  a  month  for  pleasure.  Deserters  are  punished  by  being  made 
to  drag  a  heavy  ball  and  chain  after  them,  which  is  never  removed  day 
or  nignt.  If  discharged,  they  bre  flogged,  their  heads  shaved,  and  they 
are  drummed  out  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  j 

From  the  conversations  I  have  had  with  many  deserters  from  our  army; 
who  were  residing  in  the  United  States  or  were  in  the  American  service, 
I  am  convinced  that  it  would  be  a  very  well-judged  measure  to  offer  a 
free  pardon  to  all  those  wiio  ^vould  return  to  Canada  and  re-enter  the 
English  service.  I  think  that  a  good  effective  regiment  would  soon  be 
collected,  and  one  that  you  might  .rust  on  the  frontiers  without  any  fear 
of  their  deserting  again;  and  it  w-»uld  have  another  good  effect,  that  is, 
that  their  statements  would  prevent  the  desertion  of  others. 

America,  and  its  supposed  freedom,  in,  to  the  British  soldiers,  an 
Utopia  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  They  revel  in  the  idea ;  they  seek 
it  and  it  is  not  to  be  found.  The  greatest  desertion  from  the  English 
regiments  is  among  the  musicians  composing  the  bands.  There  are  so 
many  theatres  in  America,  and  so  few  musicians,  except  coloured  peo- 
ple, that  instrumental  performers  of  all  kinds  are  in  great  demand, 
reople  are  seilt  over  to  Canada,  and  the  other  British  provinces  to  per- 
suade these  poor  fellows  to  desert,  promising  them  very  large  salaries, 
and  pointing  out  to  them  the  difference  between  being  a  gentleman  ia 
America  and  a  slave  in  the  English  service.  The  temptation  is  too 
strong ;  they  desert ;  and  when  they  arrive,  they  soon  learn  the  value 
of  the  promises  made  to  them,  and  find  how  cruelly  they  have  been 
deceived. 

The  Florida  war  has  been  a  source  of  dreadful  vexation  and  expense 
to  the  United  States,  having  already  cost  them  between  20,000,000  and 
30,000,000  of  dollars,  without  any  apparent  prospect  of  its  coming  to  a 


m 


ABUT. 


•atiifaetorjr  conclusioik  The  American  eo?ernment  has  alio  vary  much 
injured  its  character,  by  the  treachery  and  diaregard  of  honour  ahown  by 
it  to  the  Indiana,  who  have  been,  moat  of  them  captured  under  a  flag  of 
truce.  I  have  beard  ao  much  indignation  ezpreased  by  the  Americana 
themaelvea  at  thia  conduct  that  I  shall  not  comment  farther  upon  it.  It 
ia  the  Federal  government,  and  not  the  officera  employed,  who  muat  bear 
the  onus.  But  thia  war  haa  been  mortifying,  and  even  dangerous  to  the 
Americana  in  another  point.  It  haa  now  laated  three  years  and  more. 
General  after  general  has  been  superseded,  because  they  have  not  been 
able  to  bring  it  to  a  conclusion  ;  and  the  Indians  have  proved,  to  them- 
aelvea and  to  the  Americans,  that  they  can  defy  them  when  they  once 
«et  them  among  the  swamps  and  morasses.  There  haa  not  been  one 
undred  Indiana  killed,  although  many  of  them  have  been  treacheroualy 
kidnapped,  by  a  violation  of  honour ;  and  it  ia  supposed  that  the  United 
Statea  have  already  loat  one  thousand  men,  if  not  more,  in  tliia  protract- 
ed conflict. 

The  aggregate  force  under  General  Jessup,  in  Florida,  in  November, 
1837,  waa  stated  to  be  aa  follows  : — 

Remilara, 4,637 

VoTunteers, 4,078 

Seamen, 100 

Indiana,  .        .        ,        .        .178 


8,808 


It  ia  supposed  that  the  number  of  Indians  remaining  in  Florida  do  not 
amount,  men,  women,  and  children,  to  more  than -1,500;  and  General 
Jeasup  haa  declared  to  the  government  that  the  war  ia  imprdeticable. 

MiUTU. — ^The  return  of  the  militia  of  the  United  States,  for  the  year 
1897,  ia  aa  followa  :>>- 


AIMV. 


17t 


TIm  number  of  ilft/i/M  in  the  tereral  sUtes  and  territories,  according  to 
the  statement  of  George  Bomford,  Colonel  of  Ordnance,  dated  80th 
NoTember,  1887. 


State*  and  Territories. 


Maine 

New  Hampshire 

Massachusetts 

Louisiana 

Mississippi 

Tennessee 

Vermont 

Rhode  Island    . 

Connecticut 

New  York 

New  Jersey 

Pennsylvsnia 

Delaware 

Maryland 

Virginia 

North  Carolina 

South  Carolina '     . 

Geoigia 

Alabama  . 

Kentucky 

Ohio      . 

Indiana     .        . 

Illinois 

Missouri 

Arkansas 

Michigan ' 

Florida  Territor;^    . 

Wisconsin  Territory 

District  of  Columbia 


Date 

of 

Return. 


1836 

1836 

1836 

1830 

1830 

1880 

1824 

1832 

18.36 

1836 

1829 

1834 

1827 

1836 

1S36 

1835 

1833 

1834 

1829 

1839 

1886^ 

1833 

1831 

1835 

1825 

1881 

1831 

none 

1832 


Number 
of 

Militia. 


42,468 
87,473 
44,911 
14.808 
•  18,724 
60,983 
25,581 
1,877 
38,826 
184,728 
89,171 
203,281 
9,229 
46,854 
101,838 
64,415 
01,112 
48,461 
14,892 
71,483 
146,428 
08,918 
27,386 
6,170 
2,028 
0,478 
827 

1,249 

1,333,091 


This  is  an  enormous  force,  but  at  the  commencement  of  a  war  not  very 
effective  one.     In  fact,  there  is  no  country  in  the  world  so  defenceless  as 
the  United  States,  but,  once  roused  up,  no  country  more  formidable  if  any 
is  made  to  invade  its  territories.     At  the  outbreak  of  a  war,  the  states 
have  almost  everything  to  provide ;  and  although  the  Americans  are 
well  adapted  as  inatenals  for  soldiers,  still  they  have  to  be  levied  and 
disciplined.    At  the  commencement  of  hostilities,  it  is  n')t  improbable 
that  a  well-organized  force  of  30,000  men  might  walk  th  :ough  the  whole 
of  the  Union,  from  Maine  to  Georgia ;  but  it  is  almost   ertain  that  not  one 
man  would  ever  get  back  again,  as  by  that  time  th(>  people  would  have 
been  roused  and  excited,  armed  and  suiBcientl''  disciphned ;  and  their 
numbers,  independent  of  their  bravery,  would  overwhelm  three  or  four 
times  the  number  I  have  mentioned. 

Another  point  must  not  pass  unnoticed,  which  is,  that  in  America,  tho 

16» 


174 


ABXT. 


I 


* 


major  part  of  which  is  still  an  uncleared  country,  the  system  of  warfare 
MturaAy  partakes  much  of  the  Indian  practices  of  surprise  and  ambus- 
cade ;  and  the  invaders  will  always  have  to  labour  under  the  great  dis- 
advantage of  the  Americans  having  that  perfect  knowledge  of  the  country 
which  the  former  have  not. 

Most  of  the  defeats  of  the  British  troops  have  been  occasioned  by  this- 
advantage  on  the  part  of  the  Americans,  added  to  the  impracticability  of 
the  country  rendering  the  superior  discipline  of  the  British  of  no  avail. 
Indeed  the  great  advantages  of  knowing  the  country  were  proved  by  the 
American  attempts  to  invade  Canada  during  the  last  war,  and  which 
ended  in  the  capitulation  of  General  Hull  In  an  uncleared  country, 
even  whe;^  large  feces  meet,  each  man,  to  a  certain  degree,  acts  inde- 
pendently, taking  his  position,  perhaps,  behind  a  tree  (treeing  it,  as  they 
term  it  in  America),  or  any  other  defence  which  may  offer.  Now,  it  is 
evident  that,  skilled  as  all  the  Americans  are  in  fire-arms,  and  generally 
using  rifles,  a  disciplined  English  soldier,  with  his  clumsy  musket,  fights  at 
a  disadvantage ;  and,  therefore,  with  due  submission  to  hia  Grace,  the 
Duke  of  Wellington  was  very  wrong  when  he  stated  the  other  day  in 
the  House  of  Lords,  that  the  militia  of  Canada  should  be  disbandea,  and 
their  place  supplied  by  regular  troops  from  England.  The  militia  o£ 
Upper  Canada  are  quite  as  good  men  as  the  Americans,  and  can  meet 
them  after  their  own  fashion.  A  certain  proportion  of  regulars  are  advan- 
tageous, as  they  are  more  steady,  and  in  case  of  a  check  can  be  more 
depended  upon  ;  but  it  is  not  once  in  five  times  that  they  wiH,  either  in 
America  or  Canada,  be  able  to  bring  their  concentrated  discipline  into- 
play.  But  if  the  Americans  have  not  the  discipline'  of  our  troops,  their 
courage  is  undoubted,  and  even  dpon  a  clear  plain  the  palm  of  victory 
will  always  be  severely  disputed.  A  Vermonter,  surprised  for  a  moment 
at  finding  himself  in  a  charge  of  bayonets  with  the  English  troops,  eyed 
his  opponents,  and  said,  "  Well  I  calciilate  my  piece  of  iron  is  as  good  as 
youm,  anyhow,"  and  then  rushed  to  the  attack.  People  who  "  calculate" 
m  that  way  are  not  to  be  trifled  with,  as  the  annals  of  history  firily  de- 
monstrate. 

A  war  between.  America  and  England  is  always  to  be  deprecated. 
Notwithstanding  that  the  countries  are  severed,  still  the  Americans^  are 
our  descendants ;  they  speak  the  same  language,  and  (although  they  do 
not  readily  admit  it)  still  look  up  to  us  as  their  mother  country-.  It  is 
true  that  this  feeling  is  fast  wearing  Away,  but  still  it  is  not  yet  effaced. 
It  is  true  also  that,  in  their  ambition  a. id  their  covetousness,  they  would 
destroy  the  mutual  advantages  derived  by  both  countries  from  our  com- 
mercial relations,  that  they  might,  by  manufacturing  as  well  as  produ- 
cing, secure  the  whote  profits  to  themselves.  But  they  are  wrong  ;  for> 
great  as  America  is  becoming,  the  time  is  not  yet  arrived  when  she  can 
compete  with  Ebglisb  capital,  or  work  for  herself  without  it.  But  there 
is  another  reason  why  a  war  between  the  two  c'ountries  is  so-much  to  be 
deprecated,  which  is,  that  it  must  ever  be  a  cruel  and  an  irritating  war^ 
To  attack  the  Americans  by  invasion  will  always  be  hazardous,  and  must 
Tiltimately  prove  disastrous.  In  what  manner,  then,  is  England  to  avenge 
any  aggression  that  may  be  committed  by  the  Americans'?  All  she  can 
do  is  to  ravage,  burn,  and  destrcy ;  to  carry  the  horrors  of  war  along 
their  whole  extended  line  of  coast,  distressing  the  non-combatants,  and 
wreaking  vengean<:e  upon  the  defenceless. 

Dreadful  to  contemplate  as  this  is,  and  even  more  dreadful  the  system 
of  stimulating  the  Indian  tribes  to  join  us,  adding  scalping,  and  the  mur- 
dering of  women  and  children,  to  other  horrors,  still  it  is  the  onlv  metnoi 


▲MlBIOAlt  MAtlKli 


m 


to  which  England  could  resort,  and,  indeed,  a  method  to  whitfh  she 
vrould  be  warranted  to  resort,  in  her  own  behoof.  Moreover,  In  case  of 
a  future  war,  England  must  not  allow  it  to  be  of  such  short  duration  as 
was  the  last ;  the  Americans  must  be  made  to  feel  it,  by  its  being  pro- 
tracted until  their  commerce  is  totally  annihilated,  and  their  expenses  are 
increased  in  proportion  with  the  decrease  of  their  means. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  England  would  harass  the  coasts  of  Ame« 
rica,  or  raise  the  Indian  tribes  against  her,  from  any  feeling  of  malevo* 
lence,  or  any  pleasure  in  the  sufferings  which  must  ensue,  ft  would  be 
from  the  knowledge  of  the  fact  that  money  is  the  sinews  of  war ;  and  ' 
consequently  that,  by  obliging  the  Americans  to  call  out  so  large  a  force 
as  she  must  do  to  defend  ner  coast  and  tu  repel  the  Indians,  she  would 
be  put  to  such  an  enormous  expense,  as  would  be  severely  felt  through- 
out the  Union,  and  soon  incline  all  parties  to  a  cessation  of  hostilities. 
It  is  to  touch  their  pockets  that  this  plan  must  and  teUl  be  resorted  to ; 
and  a  war  carried  on  upon  that  plan  alone,  would  prove  a  salutary  les- 
son to  a  young  and  too  ambitious  a  people.  Let  the  Americans  recollect 
the  madness  of  joy  with  which  the  hats  and  caps  were  thrown  up  in  the 
air  at  New  York,  when,  even  after  so  short  a  war  with  England,  they 
heard  that  the  treaty  of  peace  had  been  concluded  ;  and  that  too  at  a 
time  when  England  was  so  occupied  in  a  contest,  it  may  be  said,  with 
the  whole  world,  that  she  could  hardly  divert  a  portion  of  her  strength 
to  act  against  America :  then  let  them  reflect  how  sanguinary,  how  inju- 
rious, a  protracted  war  with  England  would  be,  when  she  could  direct 
her  whole  force  against  them.  It  is,  however,  useless  to  ask  a  people 
to  reflect  who-  are  governed  and  ruled  by  the  portion  who  will  not  reflect. 
The  forbearance -must  be  on  our  part ;  and,  for  the  sake  of  humanity,  it 
is  to  be  hoped  that  we  shall  be  magnanimous  enough  to  forbear,  for  so- 
long  as  may  be  consistent  with  the  maintenance  of  our  national  honour. 

AMERICAN  MARINE. 

It  may  be  inferred  that  I  naturally  directed* my  attention  to  everything' 
coimected  with  the  American  marine,  and  circumstances  eventually  in- 
duced me  to  search  much  more  minutely  into  particulars  than  at  fixst  I. 
had  intended  to  do. 

The  present  force  of  the  American  navy  is  rated  as  follows : — 

Ships  of  the  Line. 

Of  120  guns        .         .         .         .       ;.'    Vv  1 

80  guns    7 

74  guns 8 


>t 


Total 

11- 

Frigates,  Ut  Class. 

Of  54  guns 

1 

44  guns 

.     14 

Total 

15 

Fngates,  2d  Class. 

Of  36  guns 

Sloops. 

2 

Of  20  guns 

12 

18  guns 

•  .           ••          .            i  V      '••"          • 

,      3 

Total 


16 


m 


Of  10  guns 
Othen 


AltimOAN  llAltMB/ 

Schooners. 


6 
Total— 18       Grand  Total-^fie 


NAVY  LIST. 

VeaaeU  of  War  of  the  United  Statea  Navy,  September  16Z7. 


Name  and  Rate. 

Where  and  when  built. 

Where  employed. 

Ships  of  the  Line. 

( 

Franklin     - 

GrNs. 
-     74 

Philadelphia 

-    IBIS 

In  ordinary  at  New  York.  > 

Washington 
Columbus 

-    74 

Portsmouth,  N.  H 

.     1816 

Do.             do. 

-     74 

Washington 

.    1819 

At  Boston  (repaired.) 

Ohio 

•    80 

New  Yorit 

'    1820 

Do.            do. 

North  Carolina 

I    -    80 

Philadelphia 

-     1820 

In  commission  (Pacific.)" 

Delaware 

-    80 

Gosport        * 

■     1820 

At  Norfolk  (repaired.) 

Alabama 

-    80 

On  stocks  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H, 

Vermont    - 

-    80 

Do.        at  Boston. 

Virginia 
New-York  ^ 

-  80 

-  80 

; 

Do.             do. 

On  stocks,  at  Norfolk.   •; 

Pennsylvania 

-   120 

Philadelphia 

.    i837|At  Philadelphia. 

Frigates,  lat  Class, 

Independence 

-     54 

Boston 

•     1814 

On  the  coast  of  Brazil. 

United  Statea  , 

■    44 

Philadelphia 

•     1797 

In  commission  (Mediterranean.) 

Constitution 

-    44 

Boston 

1787 

Do.                do; 

Ouer.'iere 

-     44 

Philadelphia 

1814 

In  ordinary  at  Norfolk. 

Jpva           • 

-    44 

Baltimore 

1814 

Keceiving  ship,     do. 

Potomac     - 

-    44 

Washington 

1821 

In  ordinary  at      do. 

Brandywine 

-    44 

Washingtoa 

1825 

Do.               do. 

Hudson 

-    44 

Purchased 

1826 

Receiving  vessel  at  New  York. 

Columbia 

-    44 

Washington 

1836 

In  ordinary  at  Norfolk. 

Santee 

-    44 

O 

On  stocks,  at  Portsmouth,  N.  K. 

Cumberland 

-    44 

Do.        at  Boston. 

Sabine 

.    44 

Do.        at  New  York. 

Savannah 

-    44 

Do.                    do. 

Raritan 

-    44 

Do.        at  Philadelphia. 

St.  Lawrence 

-    44 

Do.        at  Norfolk. 

;  Frigates,  2d  Chas. 

Constellation 

36 

Baltimore     - 

17:97 

[n  commission  (West  Indies.)  . 

Macedonian 

-    36 

Norfolk  (rebuilt) 

1836 

Ready  for  sea  al  Norfolk. 

Sloops  of  War. 

John  Ada  is 

-    20 

Norfolk  (rebuilt) 

1820 

Ready  for  sea  at  New  York. 

Cyane 

-    20 

Boston  (rebuilding' 

Boston 

-     20 

Boston 

1825 

At  sea. 

Lexington 

-     20 

New  York 

1825 

At  sea. 

Vincennes 

-    20 

New  York 

1826 

In  ordinary  at  Norfolk. 

Warren 

-    20 

Boston 

1856 

Do.            do. 

Natclies 

-    20 

Norfolk 

1827 

In  commission  (West  Indies.) 

Falmouth 

-    20 

Boston 

1827 

At  sea. 

Fairfield 

-    20 

New  York 

1828 

On  the  coast  of  Bracil. 

Vandalia 

-  .20 

Philadelphia 

1828 

n  commission  (West  Indies,) 

St.  Louis 

.    80 

W»8liingtoa          ; 

182S, 

Do;             do 

w 


AHBRICAH  MABINE. 


m 


\ 

NAVY  LIST, 

{Continued.) 

Name  and  Rate. 

Where  and  when  built. 

Where  employed. 

Guns. 

Concord 

20 

Portsmouth 

- 

1828 

In  commisBion  (West  Indies.) 

Eric            -        - 

18 

New  York  (rebuilt) 

1820 

A.t  Boston. 

Ontario 

18 

Baltimore 

. 

1813 

At  sea. 

Peacock 

■9 

18 

New  York 

• 

1813 

In  ordinary  at  Norfolk. 

Schooners,  ifc. 

Dolphin 

10 

Philadelphia 

• 

1821 

On  the  coast  of  Brazil. 

Grampus 

10 

Washington 

- 

1821 

In  commission  (West  Indies.) 

Shark 

10 

Washington 

• 

1821 

In  the  Mediterranean. 

Enterprise 

10 

New  York 

. 

1831 

In  conunisslan  (East Indies.) 

Boxer 

10 

Boston 

• 

1831 

In  the  Pacific. 

Porpoise     - 

10 

Boston 

- 

183C 

Atlantic  coast. 

Experiment 

4 

Washington 

- 

1831 

Employed  near  New  York. 

Pox  (hulk) 

3 

Purchased 

- 

1823 

At  Baltimore  (condemned.) 

Sea  Gull  (galliot) 

Purchased 

- 

1823 

Receiving  vessel  at  Philadelphia 

Exploring  Vessels. 

Relief 

Philadelphia 

. 

1836 

Barque  Pioneer 
Barque  Consort 

Boston 
Boston 

: 

1836 
1836 

New  York  (nearly  ready  for  sea) 

Schooner  Active 

Purchased 

- 

1837 

The  ratings  of  these  vessels  will,  however,  very  much  mislead  people 
as  to  the  real  strength  of  the  armament.  The  74'!>  and  80's  are  in  weight 
of  broadside  equal  to  most  three-decked  ships  ;  the  first-class  frigates  are 
double-banked  of  the  scantling,  and  carrying  the  complement  of  men  of 
our  74's.  The  sloops  are  equally  powerful  in  proportion  to  their  ratings, 
most  of  them  carrying  long  guns.  Although  flush  vessels,  they  are  little 
inferior  to  a  36-gun  frigate  in  scantling,  and  are  much  too  powerful  for 
any  that  we  have  in  our  service,  under  the  same  denomination  of  rating. 
All  the  line-of-battle  ships  are  named  after  the  several  states,  the  frigates 
after  the  principal  rivers,  and  the  sloops  of  war  after  tho  towns,  or  citieSf 
and  the  names  are  decided  by  lot. 

It  is  impossible  not  to  be  struck  with  the  beautiful  architecture  in  most 
of  these  vessels.  The  Pennsylvania,  rated  120  guns,  on  four  decks, 
carrying  140,  is  not  by  any  means  so  perfect  as  some  of  the  line-of- 
battle  ships.*    The  Ohio  is,  as  far  as  1  am  a  judge,  the  perfaction  of  a 

*  The  following  are  the  dimensions  given  me  of  the  ship  of  the  lino 
Pennsylvania  ; —  feet,  inches. 

In  extreme  length  over  all 237 

Between  the  perpendiculars  on  the  Idwer  gun-deck     220 

Length  of  keel  for  tonnage 190 

Moulded  breadth  of  beam 56      9 

do.  do.  from  tonnage     ...  57      6 

Extreme  breadth  of  beam  outside  the  wales  .        .         69 

Depih  of  lower  hold 23 

Extreme  depth  amidships 51 

Burthen  3366  tons,  and  has  ports  for  140  guns,  all  long  thirty-two  pound- 
ers, throwing  2240  pounds  of  ball  at  each  broadside,  or  4480  pounds  from  the 
whole. 


'W 


m 


17S 


AMKSIOiir  MAKINI. 


ship  of  the  line.  But  in  eveiy  class  yo.u  cannot  but  admire  the  supe- 
riority of  the  models  and  workmanship.  The  dock-yards  in  America  are 
small,  and  not  equal  at  present  to  what  may  eventually  be  required,  but 
they  have  land  to  add  to  them  if  necessary.  There  certainly  is  no  ne- 
cessity for  such  establishments  or  such  store-houses  as  we  have,  as  their 
timber  and  hemp  are  at  hand  when  required ;  but  they  are  very  deficient 
both  in  dry  and  wet  docks,  Properly  speaking,  they  have  no  great  naval 
depot.  This  arises  from  the  jealous  feeUng  existing  between  the  several 
states.  A  bill  brought  into  Congress  to  expend  so  many  thousand  dollars 
upon  the  dock-yard  at  Boston,  m  Massachusetts,  would  be  immediately 
opposed  by  the  state  of  New  York,  and  an  amendment  proposed  to 
transfer  the  works  intended  to  their  dock-yard  at  Brooklyn.  The  other 
states  which  possess  dock-yards  would  also  assert  their  right,  and  thus 
they  will  all  fight  for  their  respective  establishments  until  the  bill  is  lost, 
and  the  bone  of  contention  falls  to  the  ground.* 

Her  mainmast  from  the  step  to  the  truck       .       *       278 

Main  yard       .        * 110 

Main-topsail  yard 82 

Main-top-gallant  yard     .       .       ....         52 

'  Main-royal  yard .  36 

Size  of  lower  shrouds Oil 

Do.    of  mainstay  ...        .        .        .  0    19' 

Do.    ofsheet-caUe 0    25 

The  sheet-anchor,  made  at  Washington,  weighs  11,660  pounds. 

Main-topsail  contains  1,531  yards. 

The  number  ofyards  of  canvass  for  one  suit  of  sails  is  18,341,  and  for  bag?, 

hammocks,  boat-sails,  awnings,  &c.,  14,624 ;— total  32,965  yards. 
The  Americans  considered  that  in  the  Pennsylvania  they  possessed  the 

largest  vessel  in  the  world,  but  this  is  a  great  mistake  ;  one  of  the  Sultan's 

three-deckers  is  larger.    Below  are  the  dimensions  of  j[the  Queen,  lately 

launched  at  Portsmouth  :— 

feet,    inches. 
Length  on  the  gun-ddck  .        .        ...        .        204      0 

Do.  of  keel  for  tonnage    .        .        .        .  ^   .        .        166      5^ 

Breadth  extreme 60      0 

Do.  for  tonnage 59      2 

Depth  in  hold 23      8 

Burden  in  tons  (No.  3,099) 

Extreme  length  aloft       .        .        .       .        .       .        247      6 

Extreme  height  forward         .....  56      4 

Do.  midships  ,        .        .        •       ..        .508 

Do.  abaft 62   >  6 

Launching  draught  of  water,  forward     .       .       .      ,   14      1 

Do.  abaft 19      0 

Height  from  deck  to  deck,  gun-deck      ...  73 

Do.  middle-deck     .......  70 

Do.  main-deck 7,0 

*  There  are  seven  navy  yards  belonging  to,  and  occupied  for  the  use  of 
the  United  States,  viz. — 

The  navy  yard  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  is  situated  on  an  island,  contains 
fifty-eight  acres,  cost  5,500  dollars. 

The  navy  yard  at  Charlestown,  near  Boston,  is  situated  on  the  north  side 
of  Charles  river,  contains  thirty-four  acres,  and  cost  32,214  dollars. 

The  navy  yard  at  New  York  is  situated  on  Long  Island,  opposite  New 
York,  contains  forty  acres,  and  cost  40,000  dollars. 

The  navy  yard  at  Philadelphia  is  situated  on  the  Delaware  river,  in  the 
district  of  Southwark,  contains  eleven  acres  to  low  water  mark,  and  co&l 
37,000  dollars. 


AHIRIOAH  VARINV. 


179 


id,  contains 


Passed  Midshipmen 

-  181 

Midshipmen 

.      227 

Sailing-Masters    • 

-    27 

Sail-makers 

25 

Boatswains 

-    22 

Gunners 

27 

Carpenters 

•     26 

'  It  is  .remarkable  that  along  the  whole  of  the  eastern  coast  of  America, 
from  Halifax  in  Nova  Scotia  down  to  Pensacola  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
there  is  not  one  good  open  harbour.  The  majority  of  the  American  har- 
bours are  barred  at  the  entrance,  so  as  to  preclude  a  fleet  running  out 
and  in  to  manceuvre  at  pleasure  ;  indeed,  if  the  tide  does  not  serve,  there 
are  few  of  them  in  which  a  line-of-baltle  ship,  hard  pressed,  could  take 
refuge.  A  good  spacious  harbour,  easy  of  access,  like  that  of  Halifax  in 
Nova  Scotia,  is  one  of  the  few  advantages,  perhaps  the  only  natural  ad- 
vantage, wanting  in  the  United  States. 

The  American  navy  list  is  as  follows : — 
Captains  or  Commodores       •    50    ~ 
Masters  Commandant        «        50 
Lieutenants  -        -        -  279 

Surgeons  -        -        -        60 

Passed  Assistant  Surgeons  •  24 
Assistant  Surgeons  -  -  33 
Pursers  -  -  -  -  45 
Chaplains         ;    '    -        -  9 

The  pay  of  these  officers  is  on  the  following  scale.  It  must  be  ob- 
served, that  they  do  not  use  the  term  "  half  pay ;"  but  when  unemployed 
the  officers  are  either  attached  to  the  various  dockyards  or  on  leave.  I 
have  reduced  the  sums  paid  into  English  money,  that  they  may  be  better 
understood  by  the  reader : 

Senior  captain,  on  service          -               -  -               -     i:960 

On  leave  (t.  e.  half  pay)             -  .                730 

Captains,  squadron  service        -                -  -                -        830 

Navy-yard  and  other  duty,  half  pay     -  -               730 

Off  duty,  ditto             -                -  -               -        526 

Commanders  on  service    -               -               -  -               625 

Navy-yard  and  other  duty,  half  pay  -               -        440 

On  leave,  ditto             -                -  -                380 

Lieutenants  commanding          -               -  •               -        380 

Navy-yard  and  other  duty,  half  pay  -               315 

Waiting  orders,  ditto               -  •                •        260 

Surgeons,  according  to  their  length  of  servitude,  from       •  210 

To            -               -               .  -               -        500 

And  half  pay  in  proportion. 

Assistant  Surgeons,  from  -               -               .  .               20O 

To             -               -  -                -        260 

Chaplains ;  sea  service      -               -               •  -               250 

On  leave,  half  pay  -               -  -        170 

Passed  midshipmen,  duty  -               -               •  -               166 

Waiting  orders,  half  pay  -               •        125 

Midshipmen ;  sea  service     -               -               -  ,          -               33 

The  navy  yard  at  Washington,  in  the  district  of  Columbia,  is  situated  on 
the  eastern  branch  of  the  Potomac,  contains  thiriy-scven  acres,  and  cost 
4,000  dollars.  In  this  yard  are  made  all  the  anchors,  cables,  blocks,  and  al- 
most all  things  requisite  for  the  use  of  thr  ^avy  of  the  United  States. 

The  navy-yard  at  Portsmouth,  near  Noi.olk  in  Virginia,  is  situated  on  the 
south  oranch  of  Elizabeth  river  contains  sixteen  acres,  and  cost  13,000  dol- 
lars. 

There  is  also  a  navy-yard  at  Pensacola  in  Florida,  which  is  merely  used 
for  repairing  ships  on  the  West  India  station. 


'(I 
J"' 


k 


Wf- 


180 


IMIBICJLir  MABINI. 


Navy-yard  and  other  duty,  half  pay ! !  ?  -         "^^ 

Leave,  ditto ! !      ~       -  -  -    '  68 

Sailing-nvasters ;  ships  of  the  line  .  ■ '  •        228 

Other  duty,  half  pay  •  -  200 

Leave,  ditto  -  -  -        158 

Bo'itsvrains,  carpenters,  s^ilmftkers,  and  gunners ;  ships  of  the  line    156 
Frigate  -  -  .  -  125 

Other  duty,  half  pay  .  .  -        105 

On  leave,  ditto  -  -  -  75 

It  will  be  perceived  by  the  above  list  how  very  much  better  all  classes 
in  the  American  service  are  paid  in  comparison  with  those  in  our  service. 
But  let  it  not  be  supposed  that  this  liberality  is  a  matter  of  choice  on  the 
part  of  the  American  government ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  one  of  neces- 
sity. There  never  was,  nor  never  will  be,  anything  like  liberality  under 
a  democratic  form  of  government.  The  navy  is  a  favourite  service,  it  is 
true,  but,  the  officers  of  the  American  navy  have  not  one  cent  more  than 
they  are  entitled  to,  or  than  they  absolutely  require.  In  a  country  like 
America,  where  any  one  may  by  industry,  in  a  few  years,  become  an  in- 
dependent, if  not  a  wealthy  man,  it  would  be  impossible  for  the  govern- 
ment to  procure  officers  if  they  were  not  tolerably  paid ;  no  parents  would 
permit  their  children  to  enter  the  service  unless  they  were  enabled  by 
their  allowances  to  keep  up  a  respectable  appearance ;  and  in  America 
everything,  to  the  annuitant  or  person  not  making  money,  but  living  upon 
his  income,  is  much  dearer  than  with  us.  The  government,  therefore, 
are  obliged  to  pay  them,  or  young  men  would  not  embark  in  the  profes- 
sion ;  for  it  is  not  in  America  as  it  is  with  us,  where  every  department  is 
filled  up,  and  no  room  is  left  for  those  who  would  crowd  in ;  so  that  in 
the  eagerness  to  obtain  respectable  employment,  emolument  becomes  a 
secondary  consideration.  It  may,  however,  be  worth  while  to  put  in 
juxtaposition  the  half-pay  paid  to  officers  of  corresponding  ranks  in  the 
two  navies  of  England  and  America  : 


Officers. 

America. 

England. 

Half-pay  post-captains,  senior,  on  leave ;  corres- 

£ 

£. 

ponding  to  commodore  or  rear-admiral  in  England 

730 

456 

Post-captains  oflF  duty — that  is  duty  on  shore 

730 

On  leave 

525 

191 

Commanders  off  sea  duty             ... 

440 

In  yards  and  on  leave 

380 

155 

Lieutenants ;  shorr  duty     .... 

315 

Waiting  orders  or  on  leave 

250 

90 

Passed  midshipmen,  full  pay 

156 

25 

Half-pay  .... 

125 

Midshipmen,  full  pay            .... 

83 

25 

Half-pay 

63 

My  object  in  making  the  comparison  between  the  two  services  is  not 
to  gratify  an  inviduous  feeling.  More  expensive  as  living  in  America  cer- 
tainly is,  still  the  ditsproportion  is  such  as  must  create  surprise ;  and  if  it 
requires  such  a  sum  for  an  American  officer  to  support  himself  in  a  credi- 
table and  gentlemanlike  manner,  what  can  be  expected  from  the  English 
officer  with  his  miserable  pittance,  which  is  totally  inadequate  to  bis 


iniBICAN  M ARINK. 


181 


72 
63 
328 
200 
156 
le  line    156 
126 
.        105 
76 
;er  all  classes 
I  our  service. 
;hoice  on  the 
me  of  neces- 
erality  under 
!  service,  it  is 
int  more  than 
I  country  like 
lecome  an  in- 
r  the  govem- 
parents  would 
■e  enabled  by 
i  in  America 
lut  living  upon 
Bnt,  therefoje, 
in  the  profes- 
department  is 
n;  80  that  in 
jnt  becomes  a 
nile  to  put  in 
I  ranks  in  the 


ca.  England. 

£. 

0           456 

0 

5 

191 

0 

0 

155 

5 

0 

90 

6 

85 

5 

3 

25 

3 

services  is  not 
America  cer- 
rise  ;  and  if  it 
self  in  a  credi- 
m  the  English 
dequate  to  his 


raiik  and  station  ?  Notwithstanding  which,  our  officers  do  keep  up  their 
appearance  as  gentlemen,  and  those  who  have  no  half-pay  are  obliged 
to  support  themselves.  And  I  point  this  out,  that  when  Mr.  Hume 
and  other  gentlemen  clamour  against  the  expense  of  our  naval  force* 
they  may  not  be  ignorant  of  one  fact,  which  is,  that  not  only  half-pay, 
but  when  on  active  service,  a  moiety  at  least  of  the  expenses  necessarily 
incurred  by  our  officers  to  support  themselves  according  to  their  rank,  to 
entertain,  and  to  keep  their  ships  in  proper  order,  is,  three  times  out  of 
four,  paid  out  of  their  own  pockets,  or  those  of  their  relatives ;  pnd  that 
is  always  done  without  complaint,  as  long  as  they  are  not  checked  in  their 
legitimate  claims  to  promotion. 

In  the  course  of  this  employment  in  the  Mediterranean,  one  of  our  cap- 
tains was  at  Palermo.  The  American  commodore  was  there  at  the  time, 
and  the  latter  gave  most  sumptuous  balls  and  entertainments.  Being 
very  intimate  with  each  other,  our  English  captain  said  to  him  one  day, 
"  I  cannot  imagine  how  you  canaiford  to  give  auch  parties  ;  I  only  know 
that  I  cannot ;  my  year's  pay  would  be  all  exhausted  in  a  fortnight." 
"  My  dear  feliow,"  replied  the  American  commodore,  "  do  you  suppose 
that  lam  so  foolish  as  to  go  to  such  an  expense,  or  to  spend  my  pay  in 
this  manner ;  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  them  except  to  give  them.  My 
purser  provides  everything,  and  keeps  a  regular  account,  which  I  sign  as 
correct,  and  send  home  to  government,  which  defrays  the  whole  expenses, 
under  the  head  of  conciliation  money."  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  this  is 
requisite  in  our  service:  but  still  it  is  not  fair  to  refuse  to  provide  us 
with  paint  and  other  articles,  such  as  leather,  &c.,  necessary  to  fit  out  our 
ships ;  thus,  either  compelling  us  to  pay  for  them  out  of  our  own  pockets, 
or  allowing  the  vessels  under  our  command  to  look  like  anything  but  men- 
of-war,  and  to  he  styled,  very  truly,  a  disgrace  to  the  service.  Yet  such 
is  the  well-known  fact.  And  I  am  informed  that  the  reason  why  our  ad- 
miralty will  not  permic  these  necessary  stores  to  be  supplied  is  that,  as 
one  of  the  lords  of  t'.ie  admiralty  was  known  to  say,  "  if  we  do  not  pro- 
vide them,  the  captains  most  assuredly  will,  therefore  let  us  save  the  go- 
vernment the  expense." 

During  my  sojourn  in  the  United  States  I  became  acquainted  with  a 
large  portion  of  the  senior  officers  of  the  American  navy,  and  I  found  them 
gifted,  gentleman-like,  and  liberal.  With  them  I  could  converse  freely 
upon  all  points  relative  to  the  last  war,  and  always  found  them  ready  to 
admit  all  that  could  be'expected.  The  American  naval  officers  certainly 
form  a  strong  contrast  to  the  majority  of  their  countrymen,  and  prove,  b_y 
their  enlightened  and  liberal  ideas,  how  much  the  Americans,  in  general, 
would  be  improved  if  they  enjoyed  the  same  means  of  comparison  with 
other  countries  which  the  naval  officers,  by  their  profession,  have  obtained. 
Their  partial  successes  during  the  late  war  were  often  the  theme  of  dis- 
course, which  v;as  conducted  with  candour  and  frankness  on  both  sides. 
No  unpleasant  feeling  was  ever  excited  by  any  argument  with  them  on 
the  subject,  whilst  the  question,  raised  amongst  their  **  free  and  enlight- 
ened" brother  citizens,  who  knew  nothing  of  the  matter,  was  certain  to 
bring  down  upon  me  such  a  torrent  of  bomMst,  falsehood,  and  ignorance, 
as  required  ill  my  philosophy  to  submit  to  with  apparent  indifference. 
Bui  I  must  -Yow  take  my  leave  of  the  American  Navy,  and  notice  their 
merchant  ra.irine. 

Before  I  went  to  the  United  States  I  was  aware  that  a  large  proportion 
of  our  seamen  were  in  their  employ.  I  knew  that  the  whole  line  of  pack- 
ets, which  is  very  extensive,  was  manned  by  British  seamen ;  but  it  was 

16 


U 


188 


imtRioAN  iiAiiiirt. 


not  until  I  arrived  in  the  states  that  I  discovered  the  real  state  of  the  canr. 

During  my  occasional  residence  at  New  York,  I  was  surprised  to  find 
myself  so  constantly  called  upon  by  English  seamen,  who  had  served 
under  me  in  the  different  ships  I  had  commanded  since  the  peace.  Every 
day  seven  or  eight  would  come,  touch  their  hats,  and  remind  me  in  what 
ships,,  and  in  what  capacity,  they  had  done  their  duty.  I  had  frequent 
conversations  with  them,  and  soon  discovered  that  their  own  expression, 
••  We  are  all  here,  sir,"  was  strictly  true.  To  the  why  and  the  where- 
fore, the  answer  was  invariably  the  same — "  Eighteen  dollars  a-month, 
air."  Some  of  them,  I  recollect,  told  me  that  they  were  going  down  to 
New  Orleans,  because  the  sickly  season  was  coming  on ;  and  that  during 
the  time  the  yellow  fever  raged  they  always  had  a  great  advance  of 
wages,  receiving  sometimes  as  much  as  thirty  dollars  per  month.  I  did 
not  aitempt  to  dissuade  them  from  their  purpose  ;  they  were  just  as  right 
to  risk  their  lives  from  contagion  at  thirty  dollars  a-month,  as  to  stand 
and  be  fired  at  a  shilling  a  day.  The  circumstance  of  so  many  of  ray 
own  men  being  in  American  ships,  and  their  assertion  that  there  were  no 
other  sailors  than  English  at  New  York,  induced  me  to  enter  very  mi- 
nutely into  my  investigation,  of  which  the  following  are  the  results  : — 

The  United  States,  correctly  speaking,  have  no  common  seamen,  or 
seamen  bred  up  as  apprentices  before  the  mast.  Indeed  a  little  reflection 
will  show  how  unlikely  it  is  that  they  ever  should  have  ;  for  who  would 
submit  to  such  a  dog's  life  (as  at  the  best  it  is),  or  what  parent  would 
consent  that  his  children  should  wear  out  an  existence  of  hardship  and 
dependence  at  sea,  when  he  could  so  easily  render  them  independent  on 
shore  1  The  same  period  of  time  requisite  for  a  man  to  learn  his  duty 
as  an  able  seaman,  and  be  qualified  for  the  pittance  of  eighteen  dollars 
per  month,  would  be  sufficient  to  estabhsh  a  young  man,  as  an  indepen- 
dent, or  even  wealthy,  land-owner,  factor,  or  merchant.  That  there  are 
classes  in  America  who  do  go  to  sea  is  certain,  and  who  and  what  these 
are  I  shall  hereafter  point  out ;  but  it  may  be  positively  asserted  that, 
unless  by  escaping  from  their  parents  at  an  early  age,  and  before  their 
education  is  complete,  they  become,  as  it  were,  lost,  there  is  in  the 
United  States  of  America  hardly  an  instance  of  a  white  boy  being  sent 
to  sea,  to  be  brought  up  as  a  foremast  man. 

It  may  be  here  observed  that  there  is  a  wide  difference  in  the  appear- 
ance of  an  English  seaman  and  a  portion  of  those  styling  themselves 
American  seamen,  who  are  to  be  seen  at  Liverpool  and  other  seaports ; 
tall,  weedy,  narrow-shouldered,  slovenly,  yet  still  athletic  men,  with  their 
knives  worn  in  a  sheath  outside  of  their  clothes,  and  not  with  a  lanyard 
round  them  as  is  the  usual  custom  of  English  seamen.  There  is,  I 
grant,  a  great  difference  in  their  appearance,  and  it  arises  from  the  cir- 
cumstance of  those  men  having  been  continually  in  the  trade  to  New 
Orleans  and  the  South,  where  they  have  picked  up  the  buccaneer  airs  and 
customs  which  are  still  in  existence ;  but  the  fact  is,  that,  though 
altered  so  by  climate,  the  majority  of  «^hem  were  Englishmen  bom,  who 
served  their  first  apprenticeship  in  the  coasting  trade,  but  left  it  at  an 
early  age  for  America.  They  may  be  considered  as  a  portion  of  th»  emi- 
grants to  America,  having  become  in  feeling,  en  well  as  in  other  respects, 
lonajide  Americans. 

The  whole  amount  of  tonnage  of  the  American  mercantile  marine  may 
be  taken,  in  round  numbers,  at  8,000,000  tons,  which  may  be  sub-divided 
as  follows : 


t'  i 


AMBKICAM  MABINC. 


188 


Foreign  trade 
Whale  iichery 

Coasting  trade 

Steam 

Coast  Fisheries 


RIOISTERIO. 


KNROLMD. 


Tons. 
700,000 
180,000 

920,000 
150,000 
100,000 


Total  .  .  .  2,000,000 
The  American  merchant  vessels  are  generally  sailed  M|th  fewer  men 
than  the  British.  We  calculate  five  men  to  one  hundred  tons,  which  I 
believe  to  be  about  the  just  proportion.  Mr.  Carey,  in  his  work,  esti- 
mates the  proportion  of  seamen  in  American  vessels  to  be  4|  to  every 
one  hundred  tons,  and  I  shall  assume  his  calculation  as  correct.  The 
number  of  men  employed  in  the  American  mercantile  navy  will  be  as 
follows  : — 

Men. 
Foreign  trade  .        .        .        .        30,833 

Whale  fishery      .        .         .        ,         .     6,000 
Coasting  trade         ....         39,000 

Steam 6,600 

Coast  fisheries  .        .        .        •        4,333 


Total  .  .  86,799 
And  now  I  will  submit,  from  the  examinations  I  have  made,  the  pro- 
portions of  American  and  British  seamen  which  are  contained  in  this 
aggregate  of  86,799  men. 

In  the  foreign  trade  we  have  to  deduct  the  masters  of  the  ships,  the 
mates,  and  the  boys  who  are  apprenticed  to  learn  their  duty,  and  rise  to 
mates  and  masters  (not  to  serve  before  the  mast.)    These  I  estimate  at, 

Masters  1,600 

Mates 3,000 

Apprentices 1,600 

Ditto,  cofd  men,  as  cooks,  stewards,  &c.  2,000 

Total  .  .  ,  8,000 
which  deducted  from  30,333,  will  leave  32,333  seamen  in  the  foreign 
trade,  who,  with  a  slight  intermixture  of  Swedes,  Danes,  and,  more  rare- 
ly, Americans,  may  be  asserted  to  be  all  British  seamen. 

The  next  item  is  that  of  the  men  employed  in  the  whale  fishery ;  and, 
as  near  as  I  can  ascertain  the  fact,  the  proportions  are  two-thirds  Ame- 
ricans to  one-third  British.  The  total  is  6,633 ;  out  of  which  3,766  are 
Americans,  and  1,877  British  seamen. 

The  coasting  trade  employs  39,000  men ;  but  only  a  small  proportion 
of  them  can  be  considered  as  seamen,  as  it  embraces  all  the  internal  river 
navigation. 

The  steam  navigation  employs  6,600  men,  of  whom  of  course  not  one 
in  ten  is  a  seaman. 

The  fisheries  for  cod  and  herring  employ  about  4,333  men ;  they  are  a 
mixture  of  Americans,  Nova  Scotians,  and  British,  but  the  proportions 
cannot  be  ascertained ;  it  is^supposed  that  about  ,one-half  are  British 
«ubjecta,  i.  e.  2,166. 


184 


AMKRICAN    MAKIKK. 


i 


When  therefore,  I  estimate  that  the  Americans  employ  at  least  thirty 
tkmuand  of  our  teamen  in  their  service,  I  do  not  think,  as  my  subsequent 
remarks  will  prove,  that  I  am  at  all  overrating  the  case. 

The  questions  which  are  now  to  be  considered  are,  the  nat-ire  of  the 
Tarious  brancheu  in  which  the  seamen  employed  in  the  American  marine 
are  engaged,  and  how  far  they  will  be  available  to  America  in  case  of  a 
war. 

The  coasting  trade  is  chiefly  composed  of  sloops,  maimed  by  two  or 
three  men  and  boys.  The  captain  is  invariably  part,  if  not  whole,  owner 
of  the  vessel,  and  those  employed  are  generally  his  sons,  who  work  for 
their  father,  or  some  emigrant  Irishmen,  who,  after  a  few  months  prac- 
tice, are  fully  equal  to  this  sort  of  fresh-water  saihng.  From  the  coasting 
trade,  therefore,  America  would  gain  no  assistance.  Indeed,  the  majo- 
rity of  the  coasting  trade  is  so  confined  to  the  interior,  that  it  would  not 
receive  much  check  from  a  war  with  a  foreign  country. 
P  The  coast  fisheries  might  afford  a  few  seamen,  but  very  few  ;  certainly 
hot  the  number  of  men  required  to  man  her  ships  of  war.  As  in  the 
coasting  trade,  they  are  mostly  owners  or  partners.  In  the  whale  fishery 
much  the  same  system  prevails ;  it  is  a  common  speculation  ;  and  the 
men  embarking  stipulate  for  such  a  proportion  of  the  fish  caught  as  their 
share  of  the  profits.  They  are  generally  well  to  do,  are  connected  toge- 
ther, and  are  the  least  likely  of  all  men  to  volunteer  on  board  of  the 
American  navy.  They  would  speculate  in  privateers,  if  they  did  any- 
thing. 

From  steam  nm  igation,  of  course,  no  seamen  could  be  obtained. 

Now,  as  all  service  is  voluntary,  it  is  evident  that  the  only  chance 
America  has  of  manning  her  navy  is  from  the  thirty  thousand  British 
•eamen  in  her  employ,  the  other  branches  of  navigation  either  not  pro- 
ducing seamen,  or  those  employed  in  them  being  too  independent  in  situa- 
tion to  serve  as  fore-mast  men.  When  I  was  at  the  different  seaports,  I 
made  repeated  inquiries  as  to  the  fac  t,  if  ever  a  lad  was  sent  to  sea  aa 
foremast-man,  and  I  never  could  ascertain  that  it  ever  was  the  case. 
Those  who  are  sent  as  apprentices,  are  learning  their  duty  to  receive  the 
rating  of  mates,  and  ultimately  fulfil  the  office  of  captains ;  and  it  may 
here  be  remarked,  that  many  Americans,  after  serving  as  captains  for  a 
few  years,  return  on  shore  and  become  opulent  raercnants ;  the  know- 
ledge which  they  have  gained  during  their  maritime  career  proving  of  the 
greatest  advantage  to  them.  There  are  a  number  of  free  black  and 
coloured  lads  who  are  sent  to  sea,  and  who,  eventually,  serve  as  stew- 
ards and  cooks ;  but  it  must  be  observed,  that  the  masters  and  mates  are 
not  people  who  will  enter  before  the  mast  and  submit  to  the  rigorous  dis- 
cipline of  a  government  vessel,  and  the  cuoks  and  stewards  are  not  sea- 
men ;  so  that  the  whole  dependence  of  the  American  navy,  in  case  of 
war,  is  upon  the  JBritish  seamen  who  are  employed  in  her  foreign  trade 
and  whale  fisheries,  and  in  her  men-of-war  in  commission  during  the 
peace. 

If  America  brings  up  none  of  her  people  to  a  seafaring  life  before  the 
mast,  now  that  her  population  is  upwards  of  13,000,000,  still  less  likely 
was  she  to  have  done  it  when  her  population  was  less,  and  the  openings 
to  wealth  by  other  channels  were  greater :  from  whence  it  may  be  fairly 
inferred,  that,  during  our  continued  struggle  with  France,  when  America 
had  the  carrying  trade  in  her  hands,  her  vessels  were  chiefly  manned  by 
British  seamen  ;  and  that  when  the  war  broke  out  between  the  two  coun- 
tries, the  same  British  seamen  who  were  in  her  employ  manned  her  ships 


AMBRICAK     HMtlME. 


186 


of  war  and  privateers.  It  may  be  Burrnised  that  British  seamen  would 
r^use  to  be  employed  against  their  country.  Some  might;  but  there  i* 
no  character  uo  devoid  of  principle  as  the  British  sailor  and  soldier.  In 
Dibdin's  songs,  we  certainly  have  another  version,  "  True  to  his  country 
and  king,''  &c.,  but  I  am  afraid  they  do  not  deserve  it :  soldiers  and 
tiailurs  are  mercenaries  ;  they  risk  their  lives  for  money ;  it  is  their  trade 
to  do  80  ;  and  if  they  can  get  higher  wages  they  never  consider  the  jus- 
tice of  the  cause,  or  whom  they  fight  for.  Now,  America  is  a  country 
peculiarly  favourable  for  those  who  have  little  conscience  or  reflection  ; 
the  same  langii  ige  is  spoken  there  ;  the  wages  are  much  higher,  spirits 
Hre  much  cheaper,  and  the  fear  of  detection  or  punishment  is  trifling  : 
nay,  there  is  none  ;  for  in  five  minutes  a  British  seaman  may  be  made  a 
bond-fide  American  citizen,  and  of  course  an  American  aeaman.  It  it 
not  surprising,  therefore,  that  after  sailing  for  years  out  of  the  American 
ports,  in  American  vessels,  the  men,  in  case  of  war,  should  take  the  oath 
and  serve.  It  is  necessary  for  any  one  wanting  to  become  an  American 
citizen,  that  he  should  give  notice  of  his  intention  ;  this  notice  gives  him 
as  soon  as  he  has  signed  his  declaration,  all  the  rights  of  an  American 
citizen,  excepting  that  of  voting  at  elections,  which  requires  a  longer 
time,  as  specified  in  each  state.     The  declaration  is  as  follows  : — 

"  That  it  is  his  bond-fide  intention  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States,  and  to  renounce  forever  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  any  foreign 
power,  potentate,  state,  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and  particularly  to  Vic- 
toria,  the  Queen  of  the  United  J^ngdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland, 
to  whom  he  is  now  a  subject."  Having  signed  this  document,  and  it 
being  publicly  registered,  he  becomes  a  citizen,  and  may  be  sworn  to  as 
such  by  any  captain  of  merchant  vessel  or  man-of-war,  if  it  be  required 
that  he  should  do  so. 

During  the  last  war  with  America,  the  Americans  hit  up  a  very  good 
plan  as  regarded  the  English  seamen  whom  they  had  captured  in  our 
vessels.  In  the  daytime  the  prison  doors  were  shut  and  the  prisoners 
were  harshly  treated  ;  but  at  night  the  doors  were  left  open  :  the  conse- 
quence was,  that  the  prisoners  whom  they  had  taken  added  to  their 
strength,  for  the  men  walked  out  and  entered  on  board  their  men-of-war 
and  privateers. 

This  fact  ahne  proves  that  I  have  not  been  too  n  severe  in  my^remarks 
upon  the  character  of  the  English  seamen  ;  and  since  our  seamen  provQ 
to  be  such  "  Dugald  Dalgetty's,"  it  is  to  be  hoped  that,  should  we  be  so 
unfortunate  as  again  to  come  in  collision  with  America,  the  same  plan 
may  be  adopted  in  this  country. 

Now,  from  the  above  remarks,  three  points  are  clearly  deducible  :— 

1.  That  America  always  has  obtained,  and  for  a  long  period  to  come 
Tvill  obtain,  her  seamen  altogether  from  Great  Britain : 

2.  That  those  seamen  can  be  naturalized  immediately,  and  become 
American  seamen  by  law  : 

3.  That,  under  present  circumstances,  England  is  under  the  necessity 
of  raising  seamen,  not  only  for  her  own  navy,  but  also  for  the  Americans : 
and  that,  in  proportion  as  the  commerce  and  shipping  of  America  shall 
increase,  so  wilt  the  demand  upon  us  become  more  onerous ;  and  that 
should  we  fail  in  producing  the  number  of  seamen  nbcessary  for  both 
services,  the  Americans  will  always  be  full  manned,  whilst  any  defalca- 
tion must  fall  upon  ourselves. 

And  it  may  be  added,  that  in  all  cases,  the  Americans  have  the  choice 
and  refusal  of  our  men  ;  and,  therefore,  they  have  invariably  all  the  prime 
and  best  seamen  which  we  have  raised. 


mM 

^^rap^i 

^^''^ 

luft 

Wi 

IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


US  Ui   12.2 
2.0 


Ui 


110 


I 


L25  III  1.4      1.6 

M 

6"     

► 

^% 


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^> 


f: 


Photograidiic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WIST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  t4SS0 

(716)S72-4S03 


186 


AMI^ICAR  HARIHE. 


¥' 


American  ships  per  month, 
British  ships  ditto, 

-American  men-of-war  ditto, 
British  men-of-war     di^o, 


The  cause  of  this  is  as  simple  as  it  is  notorious  ;  it  is  the  difference 
between  the  wages  paid  in  the  navies  and  merchant  vessels  of  the  two' 
nations : 

,  £.  ».      £.  s. 

:      .       .       .    3  10     ' 
.      ►    , .      .      .   2   a  to  ?  10 

2     0 

.         .         .     1   14 

It  will  be  observed,  that  in  the  American  men-of-war  the  able-seaman's 
pay  is  only  i£2 ;  the  consequence  is  that  they  remain  for  months  in  port 
without  being  able  to  obtain  men. 

But  we  must  now  pass  by  this  cause,  and  look  to  the  origin  of  it ;  or, 
in  other  words,  how  is  it  that  the  Americans  are  able  to  give  such  high 
wages  to  our  seamen  as  to  secure  the  choice  of  any  numl^r  of  our  best 
men  for  their  service  ;  and  how  is  it  that  they  cam  compete  with,  and  even 
under-bid,  our  merchant  vessels  in  freight,  at  the  same  time  that  they 
«ail  at  a  greater  expense '! 

This  has  arisen  partly  from  circumstances,  partly  from  a  series  of 
mismanagement  on  our  part,  and  partly  from  the  fear  of  impressment. 
But  it  is  principally  to  be  ascribed  to  the  former  peculiarly  unscientific 
mode  of  calculating  the  tonnage  of  our  vessels  ;  the  error  of  which  sys- 
tem induced  the  merchants  to  build  their  ships  so  as  to  evade  the  h«avy 
channel  and  river  duties  ;  disregarding  all  the  first  principles  of  naval  ar- 
chitecture, and  considering  the  sailing  properties  of  vessels  as  of  no  eon- 
sequence. 

The  fact  is,  that  we  over-taxed  our  shipping. 

In  order  to  carry  as  much  freight  as  possible,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to 
pay  as  few  of  the  onerous  duties,  our  mercantile  shipping  igenerally  as- 
sumed more  the  form  of  floating  boxes  of  merchandise  than  sailing  ves- 
sels ;  and  by  the  false  method  of  measuring  the  tonnage,  they  were 
enabled  to  carry  600  tons,  when,  by  measurement,  they  were  only  taxed 
as  being  of  the  burden  of  400  tons  ;  but  every  increase  of  tonnage  thus 
surreptitiously  obtained,  was  accompanied  with  a  decrease  in  the  sailing 
properties  of  the  vessels.  Circumstances,  however,  rendered  this  of 
less  importance  during  the  war,  as  few  vessels  ran  without  the  protection 
of  a  convoy ;  and  it  must  be  also  observed,  that  vessels  being  employed 
■in  one  trade  only,  such  as  the  West  India,  Canada,  Mediterranean,  &c., 
'their  voyages  during  the  year  were  limited,  and  they  were  for  a  certain 
portion  of  the  year  unemployed. 

During  the  war  the  fear  of  impressment  was  certainly  a  strong  in- 
ducement to  our  seamen  to  enter  into  the  American  vessels,  and  naturalize 
themselves  as  American  subjects ;  but  they  were  also  stimulated  even 
at  that  period,  by  the  higher  wages,  as  they  still  are  now  that  the  dread 
of  impressment  no  longer  operates  upon  them. 

It  appears,  then,  that  from  various  causes,  our  merchant  vessels  have 
lost  their  sailing  properties,  whilst  the  Americans  are  the  fastest  sailers 
in  the  world ;  and  it  is  for  that  reason,  and  no  other,  that,  although  sail- 
ing at  a  much  greater  expense,  the  Americans  can  afford  to  outbid  us, 
and  take  all  our  best  seamen. 

An  American  vessel  is  in  no  particular  trade,  but  ready  and  wiUing  to 
take  freight  anywhere  when  offered.  She  sails  so  fast  that  she  can  make 
three  voyages  whilst  one  of  our  vessels  can  make  but  two ;  consequently 
she  has  the  preference,  as  being  the  better  manned,  and  giving  tho  quick- 
est return  to  the  merchant ;  and  as  she  receives  three  freights  whilst  the 


/ 


SLAVEBY. 


18T 


difference 
f  the  two 

i.     £.  a. 

0 

2  to  9  10 

0 

14 

s-se^man's 
the  in  port 

k  of  it ;  or, 
such  high 
}f  our  best 
1,  and  even 
I  that  they 

a  series  of 
ipressment. 
unscientific 
which  sys- 
i  the  h«avy 
)f  naval  ar- 
I  of  no  con- 


me  time,  to 
enerally  as- 
sailing ves- 

they  were 
)  only  taxed 
mnage  thus 

the  sailing 
red  this  of 

protection 

employed 

anesn,  (Sec, 

or  a  certain 

a  strong  in- 
1  naturalize 
ilated  even 
t  the  dread 

essels  have 
itest  sailers 
hough  sail- 
>  outbid  ua, 

d  willing  to 

0  can  make 
onsequently 

1  tho  quick- 
whilst  the 


English  vessel  .receives  only  two,  it  is  clear  that  the  extra  freight  will 
more  than  compensate  for  the  extra  expense  the  vessel  sails  at  in  conse- 
quence of  paying  extra  wages  to  the  seamen.  Ad^  to  this,  that  the  cap- 
tains, generally  speaking,  being  better  paid,  are  better  informed,  and  more 
active  men ;  that,  from  having  all  the  picked  seamen,  they  get  through 
their  work  with  fewer  hands  ;  that  the  activity  on  board  is  followed  up 
and  supported  by  an  equal  activity  on  the  part  of  the  agents  and  factors 
on  shore — and  you  have  the  true  cause  why  America  can  afford  to  pay 
and  secure  for  herself  all  our  best  seamen. 

One  thing  is  evident,  that  it  is  a  mere  question  of  pounds,  shillings, 
and  pence,  beti)veen  us  and  America,  and  that  the  same  men  who  are 
now  in  the  American  service  would,  if  our  wages  w^re  higher  than 
those  offered  by  America,  immediately  return  to  us  and  leave  her  des- 
titute. 

That  it  would  be  worth  the  while  of  this  country,  in  case  of  a  war  with 
the  United  States,  to  offer  4/.  a-head  to  able  seamen  is  most  certain. 
It  would  swell  the  naval  estimates,  but  it  would  shorten  the  duration  of 
the  war,  and  in  the  end  would  probably  be  the  saving  of  many  millions. 
But  the  question  is,  cannot  and  ought  not  something  to  be  done,  now 
in  time  of  peace  tq  relieve  our  mercantile  shipping  interest,  and  hold 
out  a  bounty  for  a  return  to  those  true  principles  of  naval  architecture, 
the  deviation  from  which  has  proved  to  be  attended  with  such  serious 
consequences. 

Fast  sailing  vessels  will  always  be  able  to  pay  higher  wages  than  others, 
as  what  they  lose  in  increase  of  daily  expense,  they  will  gain  by  the  short 
time  in  which  the  voyage  is  accomplished  ;  but  it  is  by  encouragement 
alone  that  we  can  expect  that  the  change  will  take  place.  Surely  some 
of  the  onerous  duties  imposed  by  the  Trinity  House  might  be  removed, 
not  from  the  present  class  of  vessels,  but  with  those  built  hereafter  with 
£rst-rate  sailing  propierties.  These^  however,  are  points  which  call  for  a 
inuch  fuller  investigation  than  I  can  here  afford  them ;  but  they  are  of 
vital  importance  to  our  maritime  superiority,  and  as  such  should  be  im< 
mediately  considered  by  the  government  of  Great  Britain. 

SLAVERY. 

'^  It  had  Always  appeared  to  me  as  lingular  that  the  Americans,  at  the 
time  of  their  Declaration  of  Independence,  took  no  measures  for  the 
gradual,  if  not  immediate,  extinction  of  slavery  ;  that  at  the  very  time 
they  were  offering  up  thanks  for  having  successfully  struggled  for  their 
own  emancipation  from  what  they  considered  foreign  bondage,  their 
gratitude  for  their  liberation  did  not  induce  them  to  break  the  chains  of 
those  whom  they  themselves  held  in  captivity.  It  is  useless  for  them  to  ex- 
claim, as  they  now  do,  that  it  was  England  who  left  them  slavery  as  a  curse, 
and  reproach  us  as  having  originally  introduced  the  system  among  them. 
Admitting,  as  is  the  fact,  that  slUvery  did  commence  when  the  colonies 
were  subject  to  the  mother  country  ;  admitting  that  the  petitions  for  its  dis- 
continuance were  disregarded,  still  there  was  nothing  to  prevent  imme- 
diate manumission  at  the  time  of  the  acknowledgment  of  their  inde- 
pendence by  Great  Britain.  They  had  then  everything  to  recommence ; 
they  had  tQ  select  a  new  form  of  government,  and  to  decide  upon  new 
laws  ;  they  pronoimced,  in  their  declaration,  that  "  all  men  were  equal ;" 
and  yet,  in  the  face  of  this  declaration,  and  their  solemn  invocation  to  the 
Deity,  the  negroes,  in  their  fetters,  pleaded  to  them  in  vain. 


mn 


:/ 


V 


IS6 


SLAVtRT. 


^ 


I  had  always  thought  that  this  sad  omission,  which  has  left  such  an 
anomaly  in  the  Declaration  of  Independence  as  to  have  made  it  the 
taunt  and  reproach  of  the  Americans  by  the  Whole  civilized  world,  did 
really  arise  from  fbrgetfulness  ;  that,  as  is  but  too  often  the  case,  when 
we  are  ourselves  made  happy,  the  Americans,  in  their  joy  at  their  own 
deliverance  from  a  foreign  yoke,  and  the  repossessing  themselves  of  their 
own  rights,  had  been  too  much  engrossed  to  occupy  themselves  with  the 
undeniable  claims  <}f  others.  But  I  was  mistaken;  such  was  not  the 
case,  as  I  shall  presently  show. 

In  the  course  of  one  of  my  sojourns  in  Philadelphia,  B^r.  Vaughan,  of 
the  Atheneum  of  that  city,  stated  to  me  that  he  had  found  the  uriginal 
*iraft  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  in  the  hand-writing  ot  Mr. 
Jefferson,  and  that  it  was  curious  to  remark  the  alterations  which  had  been 
made  previous  to  the  adoption  of  the  manifesto  which  was  afterwards 
promulgated.  It  was  to  Jefferson,  Adams,  and  Franklin,  that  was  en- 
trusted the  prim^iry  drawing  up  of  this  important  document,  which  was 
then  submitted  to  others,  and  ultimately  to  the  Convention,  for  approval ; 
and  it  appears  that  the  question  of  slavery  had  not  been  overlooked 
when  the  document  was  first  framed,  as  the  following  clause  inserted  jn 
the  original  draft  by  Mr.  Jefferson,  (but  expunged  when  it  was  laid  before 
the  Convention,)  will  sufficiently  prove.  After  enumerating  the  grounds 
upon  which  they  threw  off  their  allegiance  to  the  king  of  England,  the 
Declaration  continued  in  Jefferson's  nervous  style : 

"  He  [the  king]  has  w/iged  cruel  war  against  human  nature  itself, 
violating  its  most  sacred  righta  of  life  and  liberty ,  in  the  person  of  a 
distant  people  who  never  offended  hirh;  capturmg  and  carrying  them 
into  slavery,  in  another  hemisphere,  or  tu  incur  miserable  death  in  their 
transportation  thither.  This  piratical  warfare,  the  approbrium  of  infidel 
powers,  is  the  warfare  of  the  Christian  king  of  Gteat  Britain,  determined 
to  keep  open  a  market  where  men  should  be  bought  and  sold ;  he  has 

E restituted  his  negatiee  for  suppressing  every  legislative  attempt  to  pro- 
ibit  or  restrain  this  execrable  commerce ;  and  that  this  assemblage  of 
horrors  might  want  no  fact  of  distinguished  dye,  he  is  now  exciting  these 
ver^  people  to  rise  in  arms  among  us,  and  to  purchase  that  liberty  of 
which  he  has  deprived  them,  by  murdering  the  people  upon  whom  he 
also  obtruded  them ;  thus  paying  off  former  crimes  committed  against 
the  liberties  of  one  people,  with  crimes  which  he  urges  them  to  commit 
-against  the  lives  of  another." 

Such  was  the  paragraph  which  had  been  inserted  by  Jefferson,  in  the 
virulence  of  his  democracy,  and  his  desire  to  hold  up  to  detestation  the 
king  of  Great  Britain.  Such  was  at  that  time,  unfortunately,  the  truth  ; 
tind  had  the  paragraph  remained,  and  at  the  same  time  emancipation  been 
given  to  the  slaves  it  would  have  been  a  lasting  stigma  upon  George  the 
Third.  But  the  paragraph  was  expunged  ;  and  why  1  because  they  could 
not  hold  up  to  public  indignation  the  sovereign  whom  they  had  abjured, 
without  reminding  the  world  that  slavery  still  existed  in  a  community 
which  had  declared  that  "all  men  were  equal :"  and  that  if,  in  a  monarch, 
they  had  stigmatized  it  as  "violating  the  most  sacred  rights  of  life  and 
liberty,"  and  "  waging  cruel  war  against  human  nature,"  they  could  not 
have  afterward  been  so  barefaced  and  unblushing  as  to  continue  a  system 
which  was  at  variance  with  every  principle  which  they  professed.* 

*  Miss  Martineau,  in  her  admiration  of  democracy,  says,  that,  in  the  forma- 
tion of  the  government,  "  The  rule  by  which  they  worked  was  no  less  than 
the  golden  one,  which  seems  to  have  been,  by  some  unlucky  chance,  omitted 


ILAVEHr. 


189 


It  does,  however,  satisfactorily  prove,  that  the  question  of  slavery  was 
not  overlooked :  on  the  contrary,  their  determination  to  take  advantage  of 
the  system  was  dehberate,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt,  well  considered  : 
— the  very  omission  of  the  paragraph  proves  it.  I  mention  these  facts  to 
show  that  the  Americans  have  no  right  to  revile  us  on  being  the  cause 
of  slavery  in  America.  They  had  the  means,  and  were  bound,  as  hon- 
curable  men,  to  act  up  to  their  declaration  ;  but  they  entered  into  the 
question,  they  decided  otherwise,  and  decided  that  they  would  retain  their 
ill-acquired  property  at  the  expense  of  their  principles. 

The  degrees  of  slavery  in  America  are  as  various  in  their  intensity  as 
are  the  communities  composing  the  Union.  They  may,  however,  be  di- 
vided with  great  propriety  under  two  general  heads^-eastern  and]western 
slavery.  By  eastern  slavery,  I  refer  to  that  in  the  slave  states  bordering 
on  the  Atlantic,  and  those  slaves  states  on  the  other  side  of  the  Alleghany 
mountains,  which  may  be  more  directly  considered  as  their  colonies,  vit. 
in  the  first  instance,  Maryland,  Delaware,  Virginia,  North  and  South  Ca- 
rolina ;  and,  secondly  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  We  have  been  accus- 
tomed lately  to  class  the  slaves  as  non-predial  and  predial, — that  is,  those 
who  are  domestic,  and  those  who  work  on  the  plantations.  This  classi- 
fication is  not  correct,  if  it  is  intended  to  distingush  between  those  who 
are  well,  and  those  who  are  badly  treated.  The  true  line  to  be  drawn  is 
between  those  who  worked  separately,  and  those  who  are  worked  in  a 
gang  and  superintended  by  an  overseer.  This  is  fully  exemplified  in  the 
United  States,  where  it  will  be  found  that  in  all  states  where  they  are 
^worked  in  gangs  the  slaves  are  harshly  treated,  while  in  the  others  their 
labour  is  light. 

Now,  with  the  exception  of  the  rice  grounds  in  South  Carolina,  the 
eastern  states  are  growers  of  corn,  hemp,  and  tobacco ;  but  their  chief 
staple  is  the  breeding  of  horses,  mules,  horned  cattle,  and  other  stock : 
the  largest  portion  of  these  states  remain  in  wild  luxuriant  pasture,  more 
especially  in  Virginia,  Kentucky,  and  Tennessee,  either  of  which  states 
is  larger  than  the  other  four  mentioned. 

The  proportion  of  slaves  required  for  the  cultivation  of  the  purely  agri- 
cultural and  chiefly  grazing  farms  or  plantations  in  these  states  is  imali, 
fifteen  or  twenty  being  sufficient  for  a  farm  of  two  hundred  or  three  hun- 
dred acres ;  and  their  labour,  whjch  is  mostly  confined  to  tending  stock, 
is  not  only  very  light,  but  of  the  quality  most  agreeable  to  the  negro. 
Half  the  day  you  will  see  him  on  horseback  with  his  legs  idly  swinging 
as  he  goes  along,  or  seated  on  a  shaft-horse  driving  his  wagons.  lie  is 
quite  in  his  glory ;  nothing  delights  a  negro  so  much  as  riding  or  driving, 
particularly  when  he  has  a  whole  team  under  his  control.  He  takes  his 
wagon  for  a  load  of  corn  to  feed  the  hogs,  sits  on  the  edge  of  the  shaft 
as  he  tosses  the  cobs  to  the  grunting  multitude,  whom  he  addresses  in 
the  most  intimate  terms  ;  in  short,  everything  is  done  leisurely,  after  his 
own  fashion. 

In  these  grazing  states,  as  they  may  very  properly  be  called,  the  ne- 
groes are  well  fed  ;  they  refuse  beef  and  mutton,  and  will  have  nothing 
but  pork ;  and  are,  without  exception,  the  fattest  and  most  saucy  fellows 
I  ever  met  with  in  a  state  of  bondage  ;  and  such  may  be  said  generally  to 
be  the  case  with  all  the  negroes  in  the  eastern  states  which  f  have  men- 
tioned,   The  rice  grounds  in  South  Carolina  are  unhealthy,  but  the  slaves 

in  the  Bibles  of  other  statesmen,  '  Do  unto  others  as  ye  would  that  they  should 
do  unto  you.' "  I  am  afraid  the  American-Bible,  by  some  utUucky  chance,  has 
also  omitted  that  precept. 


.#..:. 


190 


SLAVIRY. 


are  very  kindly  treated.  But  the  facts  speak  for  themselves.  When  the 
negro  works  in  a  gang  with  the  whip  over  him,  he  may  be 'overworked 
and  ill-treated ;  but  when  he  is  not  regularly  watched,  he  will  take  very 
good  care  that  the  work  ho  performs  shall  not  injure  his  constitution. 

It  has  been  asserted,  and  generally  credited,  that  in  the  eastern  states 
negroes  ate  regularly  bred  up  like  the  cattle  for  the  weeiem  market.  That 
the  Virginians,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  other  eastern  slave  states,  do 
sell  negroes  which  are  taken  to  the  west,  there  is  no  douht ;  but  that  the 
negroes  are  bred  expressly  for  that  purpose,  is,  as  regards  the  majority  of 
the  proprietors,  far  from  the  fact ;  it  is  the  effect  of  circumstances,  over 
which  they  have  had  no  control.  Virginia,  when  first  settled,  was  one 
of  the  richest  states,  but,  by  continually  cropping  the  land  without  ma- 
nuring it,  and  that  for  nearly  two  hundred  years,  the  major  portion  of 
many  valuable  estates  has  become  barren,  and  the  land  is  no  longer  under 
cultivation ;  in  consequence  of  this,  the  negroes,  (increasing  so  rapidly 
as  they  do  in  that  country,)  so  far  from  being  profitable,  have  become 
a  serious  task  upon  their  masters,  who  have  to  rear  and  maintain,  with- 
out having  any  employment  to  give  them.  The  small  portion  of  the 
estates  under  cultivation  will  subsist  only  a  certain  portion  of  the  ne- 
croes,  the  remainder  must,  therefore,  be  disposed  of  or  they  would  eat 
their  master  out  of  his  home.*  That  the  slaves  are  not  willingly  disposed 
of  by  many  of  their  proprietors  I  am  certain,  particularly  when  it  is  known 
that  they  are  purchased  for  the  west.  I  know  of  many  instances  of  this, 
and  was  informed  of  others  ;  and  by  wills,  especially,  slaves  have  been 
directed  to  be  sold  for  two-thirds  of  the  price  which  they  would  fetch  for 
the  western  market,  on  condition  that  they  were  not  to  leave  the  state. 
These  facts  establish  two  points,  viz.  that  the  slaves  in  the  eastern  states 
are  weltlreated,  and  that  in  the  western  states  slavery  still  exists  with  ail 
its  horrors.  The  common  threat  to,  and  ultimate  punishment  of,  a  refrac- 
tory and  disobedient  slave  in  the  east,  is  to  sell  him  for  the  western  mar- 
ket. Many  slave  proprietors,  whose  estates  have  been  worn  out  in  the 
cast,  have  preferred  migrating  to  the  west  with  their  slaves  rather  than 
•e|i  them,  and  thus  is  the  severity  of  the  western  treatment  oecasionally 
ai^fpartially  mitigated,  f 

But  doing  justice,  as  I  always  will,  to  those  who  have  been  unjustly 
calumniated,  at  the  saiiM  time  I  must  admit  that  there  is  a  point  con- 
nected with  slavery  in  America  which  renders  it  more  odious  than  in 
other  countries  ;  I  refer  to  the  system  of  amalgamation  which  has  from 

*  "  Many  fine  looking  districts  were  pointed  out  to  me  in  Virginia,  for- 
merly rich  in  tobacco  and  Indian  com,  which  had  been  completely  exhausted 
by  the  production  of  crops  for  the  maintenance  of  the  slaves.  In  thickly 
peopled  countries,  where  the  great  towns  are  at  hand,  the  fertility  of  such 
soils  may  be  recovered  and  even  improved  by  manuring,  but  over  the  tracts 
of  country  I  now  speak  of,  no  suco  advantages  are  within  the  farmer's 
reach."— Cop/aJn  Ilall. 

t  "  Many  very  many,  with  whom  I  met,  would  willingly  have  released 
their  slaves,  but  the  law  requires  that  in  such  cases  they  should  leave  the 
state ;  and  this  would  mostly  be  not  to  improve  thsir  condition,  but  to  ba- 
aish  them  from  their  home,  and  to  make  them  miserable  outcasts.  What 
they  cannot  at  present  remove,  they  are  anxious  to  mitigate,  and  I  have 
never  seen  kinder  attention  paid  to  any  domestics  than  by  such  persons  to. 
their  slaves.  In  defiance  of  the  infamous  laws,  making  it  criminal  for  the 
slave  to  be  taught  to  read,  and  difficult  to  assemble  for  an  act  of  worship, 
they  are  instructed,  and  they  are  assisted  to  worship  God."— Rev.  Mr.  Rod. 


H 


41 


SLAVHY. 


191 


When  the 
vcrworked 

take  very 
tution. 
tern  states 
rket.  That 

states,  do 
ut  that  the 
majority  of 
inces,  over 
d,  was  one 
ithout  ma- 
'  portion  of 
iger  under 

so  rapidly 
e  become 
tain,  with- 
lion  of  the 
of  the  ne- 

would  eat 
y  disposed 
it  is  known 
ces  of  this, 

have  been 
Id  fetch  for 
)  the  state. 
Item  states 
ists  with  all 
>f,  arefrac- 
istern  mar- 
out  in  the 
ather  than 
Bcasionally 

in  unjustly 
point  con> 
us  than  in 
h  has  from 

irginia,  for- 
I  exhausted 
In  thickly 
ity  of  such 
r  the  tracts 
le  fanner's 

e  released 

leave  the 

but  to  ba- 

lits.    What 

and  1  hare 

persons  ta 

nal  for  the 

>f  wor&hip, 

Mr.JUid. 


protniscuous  intercourse,  beeh  carried  on  to  such  an  extent,  that  you  rery 
often  meet  with  slaves  whose  skins  are  whiter  than  their  master's. 

At  Louisville,  Kentucky,  I  saw  a  girl,  about  twelve  years  old,  carrying 
a  child  ;  and,  aware  that  m  a  slave  state  the  circumslance  of  white  peo- 
ple hiring  themselves  out  to  service  is  almost  unknown,  I  inquired  ot  her 
if  she  were  a  slave.  To  my  astonishment,  she  replied  in  the  affirmative. 
She  was  as  fair  as  snow,  and  it  was  impossible  to  detect  any  admixture 
of  blood  from  her  appearance,  which  was  that  of  a  pretty  English  cot- 
tager's child. 

I  afterward  spoke  to  the  master,  who  stated  when  he  had  purchased 
her,  and  the  sum  which  he  had  paid. 

I  took  down  the  following  advertisement  for  a  runaway  slave,  which 
was  posted  up  in  every  tavern  I  stopped  at  in  Virginia  on  my  way  to  the 
springs.  The  expression  of,  '•  in  a  munner  white"  would  imply  that 
there  was  some  shame  felt  in  holding  a  white  man  in  bondage  :—r 

"  Fifty  Dollars  Reward. 
"  Ran  away  from  the  subscriber,  on  Saturday,  the  21st  instant,  a  slave 
named— 

Georos, 
between  twenty  and  twenty -four  years  of  age,  five  feet  five  or  six  inches  high 
slender  made,  stoops  when  standing,  a  little  bow  legged ;  generally  wears 
right  and  left  boots  and  shoes  ;  had  on  him  when  he  left  a  fur  cap,  a  checked 
stock,  and  linen  roundabout ;  had  with  him  other  clothing,  a  iean  coat  with 
black  horn  buttons,  a  pair  of  jean  pantaloons,  both  coat  ana  pantaloons  of 
handsome  gray  mixed ;  no  doubt  other  clothing  not  recollected.  He  had  with 
him  a  common  silver  watch ;  he  wears  his  pantaloons  generally  very  tight  in 
the  legs.  Said  boy  is  in  a  manner  white,  would  be  passed  by  and  taken  for  a 
white  man.  His  hair  is  long  and  straight,  like  that  of  a  white  person ;  looks 
very  steady  when  spoken  to,  speaks  slowly,  and  would  not  be  likely  to  look 
a  person  full  in  the  face  when  speaking  to  him.  It  is  believed  he  is  making 
his  way  to  Canada  by  way  of  Oliio.  I  will  give  twenty  dollars  for  the  appre- 
hension of  said  slave  if  taken  in  the  county,  or  fifty  dollars  if  taken  out  of 
the  county,  and  secured  so  that  1  recover  him  again. 

AlfDRBW  Bribne,  jun., 
Union  Monroe  CiJy, 
July  31et,  1838.  Virginia" 

The  above  is  a  curious  document,  independently  of  its  proving  the 
manner  in  which  man  preys  upon  his  fellow-man  in  this  land  of  liberty 
and  equality.  It  is  a  well-known  fact,  that  a  considerable  portion  of  Mr. 
Jefferson's  slaves  were  his  own  children.  *  If  any  of  them  absconded, 
he  would  smile,  thereby  implying  that  he  should  not  be  very  particular 
in  looking  after  them  ;  and  yet  this  man,  this  great  and  oooo  man,  as 
Miss  Martineau  calls  him,  this  man  who  penned  the  paragraph  I  have 
quoted,  as  having  been  erased  from  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  who 
asserted  that  the  slavery  of  the  negro  was  a  violation  of  the  most  sacred 
rights  of  life  and  liberty,  permitted  these  his  slaves  and  his  children,  the 
issue  of  his  own  loins,  to  be  sold  at  auction  after  his  demise,  not  even 
emancipating  them,  as  he  might  have  done,  before  his  death.  And,  but 
lately,  a  member  of  congress  for  Georgia,  whose  name  I  shall  not  men* 
tion,  brought  up  a  fine  family  of  children,  his  own  issue  by  a  female 
slave ;  for  many  years  acknowledged  them  as  his  own  children  ;  permit- 
ted them  to  call  him  by  the  endearing  title  of  fapa,  and  eventually  the 

*  "  The  law  declares  the  children  of  slaves  are  to  follow  the  fortunes  of 
the  mother.  Hence  the  practice  of  planters  selling,  and  bequeathing  their 
own  children."— Jtfiiajtfartineau.  j\;,..  ?i;!,. 


0' 


193 


SLAVIRY. 


whole  of  them  were  sold  by  public  auction,  <nd  that,  too,  durin((  hii  own 
lifetime ! 

But  there  u,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  a  more  horrible  instance  on  record  and 
on«>  well  authenticated.  A  planter  of  good  family  (I  shall  not  mention 
his  name  or  the  state  in  which  it  occurred,  as  he  was  not  so  much  to 
blame  as  were  the  laws),  connected  himself  with  one  of  his  own  /emale 
slaves,  who  was  nearly  white  ;  the  fruits  of  this  connection  were  two 
daughters,  very  beautiful  girls,  who  were  sent  to  England  to  be  educated. 

They  were  both  grown  up  when  their  father  died.  At  his  death  his 
affairs  were  found  in  a  state  of  great  disorder ;  in  fact,  there  was  not  suf- 
ficient left  to  pay  his  creditors.  Having  brought  up  and  educated  these 
two  girls  and  introduced  them  as  his  daughters,  it  quite  slipped  his  me- 
mory that,  having  been  born  of  a  slave,  and  not  manumitted,  they  were 
in  reality  slaves  themselves.  This  fact  was  established  after  his  decease  ; 
they  were  torn  away  from  the  affluence  and  refinement  to  which  they  had 
been  accustomed,  sold  and  purchased  as  slaves,  and  with  the  avowed  in- 
tention of  the  purchaser  to  .reap  his  profits  from  their  prostitution  !  ! 

It  must  not,  however,  be  supposed  that  the  planters  of  Virginia  and 
the  other  Eastern  states,  encourage  this  intercourse  ;  on  the  contrary, 
the  young  men  who  visit  at  the  plantations  cannot  affront  them  more  than 
to  take  notice  of  their  slaves,  particularly  the  lighter  coloured,  who  are 
retained  in  the  house  and  attend  upon  their  wives  and  daughters.  Inde- 
pendently of  the  moral  feeling  which  really  guides  them  (as  they  naturally 
do  not  wish  that  the  attendants  of  their  daughters  should  be  degraded) 
it  is  against  their  interest  in  case  they  should  wish- to  sell ;  as  a  mulatto 
or  light  male  will  not  fetch  so  high  a  price  as  a  full-blooded  negro  ;  the 
cross  between  the  European  and  negro  ;  especially  the  first  cross,  i.  e. 
the  mulatto,  is  of  a  sickly  constitution,  and  quite  unable  to  bear  up  against 
the  fatigue  of  field  labour  in  the  West.  As  the  race  becomes  whiter, 
the  stamina  is  said  to  improve. 

Examining  into  the  question  of  emancipation  in  America,  the  first  in- 
quiry will  be,  how  far  this  consummation  is  likely  to  be  effected  by  means 
of  the  abolitionists.  Miss  Martineau,  in  her  book,  says,  "  The  good  work 
has  begun,  and  will  proceed."  She  is  so  far  right ;  it  has  begun,  and 
has  been  progressing  very  fast,  as  may  be  proved  by  the  single  fact  of 
the  abolitionists  having  decided  the  election  in  the  state  of  Ohio  in  Octor 
her  last.  But  let  not  Miss  Martineau  exult ;  for  the  stronger  the  aboli- 
tion party  may  become,  the  more  danger  is  there  to  be  apprehended  of 
a  disastrous  confiit  between  the  states. 

The  fact  is  that,  by  the  constitution  of  the  United  States,  the  federal 
government  have  not  only  no  power  to  interfere  or  to  abolish  slavery,  but 
they  are  bound  to  maintain  it :  the  abolition  of  slavery  is  expressly  icith' 
held.  The  citizens  of  any  state  may  abolish  slavery  in  their  own  state ; 
but  the  federal  government  cannot  do  so  without  an  express  violation  of 
the  federal  compact.  Should  all  the  states  in  the  Union  abolish  slavery, 
with  the  exception  of  one,  and  that  one  be  Maryland,  (the  smallest  of  the 
whole  of  the  states,)  neither  the  federal  government,  or  the  other  states 
could  interfere  with  her.  The  federal  compact  binds  the  general  go- 
vernment, "  first,  not  to  meddle  with  the  slavery  of  the  states  where  it 
exists,  and  next,  to  protect  it  in  the  case  of  runaway  slaves,  and  to  defend 
it  m  case  of  invasion  or  domestic  violence  on  account  of  it." 
>  '  appears,  therefore,  that  slavery  can  only  be  abolished  by  the  slave 
state  itself  in  which  it  exists  ;  and  it  is  not  very  probable  that  any  class 
of  people  will  voluntarily  make  themselves  beggars  by  surrendering  up 


..'jtr 


•LA VERY. 


19S 


their  whole  property  to  Mtisfy  the  clamour  of  a  party.  That  this  party  is 
strong,  and  is  daily  becoming  stronger,  is  very  true :  the  stronger  it  be- 
comes the  worse  will  be  the  prospects  of  the  United  States.  In  Eng* 
land  the  case  was  very  different ;  the  government  had  a  right  to  make 
the  sacrifice  to  public  opinion  by  indemnification  to  the  slave-holders ; 
but  in  America  the  government  have  not  that  power ;  and  the  efforts  of 
the  abolitionists  will  only  have  the  effects  of  plunging  the  country  into 
difficulties  and  disunion.  As  an  American  autnor  truly  observes,  "  The 
American  abolitionists  must  trample  on  the  constitution,  and  wade  through 
the  carnage  of  a  civil  war,  before  they  can  triumph." 

Already  the  abolition  party  have  done  much  mischief.  The  same  au- 
thor observes,  *'  The  South  has  been  compelled,  in  self-defence,  to  rivet 
the  chains  of  slavery  afresh,  and  to  hold  on  to  their  political  rights  with 
a  stronger  band.  The  conduct  of  the  abolitionists  has  arrested  die  irn* 
provements  which  were  in  progress  in  the  slave  states  for  the  ameliora- 
tion of  the  condition  of  the  slave ;  it  has  broken  up  the  system  of  intel- 
lectual and  moral  culture  that  was  extensively  in  operation  for  the  slaveys 
benefit^  lest  the  increase  of  his  knowledge  should  lend  him  a  dangerous 
power,  in  connection  with  these  crusading  efforts ;  it  has  rivetted  the 
chains  of*  slavery  with  a  greatly  increased  power,  and  enforced  a  more 
rigorous  discipline ;  it  has  excluded  for  the  time  being  the  happy  moral 
influence  which  was  previously  operating  on  the  South  from  the  North, 
and  from  the  rest  of  the  world,  by  the  lights  of  comparison,  by  the  inter- 
change of  a  friendly  intercourse,  and  by  a  friendly  discussion  x>f  the  great 
subject,  all  tending  to  the  bettering  of  the  slave's  condition,  and,  as  was 
supposed,  to  his  ultimate  emancipation.  Before  this  agitation  comiaenced, 
this  subject,  in  all  its  aspects  and  bearings,  might  be  discussed  as  freely 
at  the  South  as  anywhere ;  but  now,  not  a  word  can  be  said.  It  has 
kindled  a  sleepless  jealousy  in  the  South  toward  the  North,  and  made 
the  slave-holders  feel  as  if  all  the  rest  of  the  world  were  their  enemies, 
and  that  they  must  depend  upon  themselves  for  the  maintenance  of  their 
political  rights.  We  say  rights,  because  they  regard  them  as  such ;  and 
so  long  as  they  do  so,  it  is  all  the  same  in  their  feelings,  whether  the  rest 
of  the  world  acknowledge  them  or  not.  And  they  are,  in  fact,  pditical 
rights,  guaranteed  to  them  by  the  constitution  of  the  United  States." 

It  is  not,  however,  impossible  that  the  abolition  p^rty  in  the  Eastern 
and  Northern  states  may  be.  gradually  checked  by  the  citizens  of  those 
very  states.  Their  zeal  may  be  as  warm  as  ever ;  but  public  opinion  will 
compel  them,  at  the  risk  of  their  lives,  to  hold  their  tongues.  This  pos- 
sibility can,  however,  only  arise  from  the  Northern  and  Eastern  states 
becoming  manufacturing  States,  as  they  are  most  anxious  to  be.  Should 
this  happen,  the  raw  cotton  grown  by  slave  labour  will  employ  the  looms 
of  Massachusetts ;  and  then,  as  the  Quarterly  Review  very  correctly  ob- 
serves, "  by  a  cycle  of  commercial  benefits,  the  Northern  and  Eastern 
states  will  feel  that  there  is  some  material  compensation  for  the  moral 
turpitude  of  the  system  of  slavery. 

The  slave  proprietors  in  these  states  are  as  well  aware  as  any  politi- 
cal economist  can  be,  that  slavery  is  a  loss  instead,  of  a  gain,  and  that 
no  state  can  arrive  at  that  degree  of  prosperity  under  a  state  of  slavery 
which  it  would  under  free  labour.  The  case  is  simple.  In  free  labour, 
where  there  is  competition,  you  exact  the  greatest  possible  returns  for 
the  least  possible  expenditure  ;  a  man  is  worked  as  a  machine  ;  he  is 
pud  for  wnat  he  produces,  and  nothing  more.  By  slave  labour,  you  re- 
ceive the  least  possible  return  for  the  greatest  possible  expense,  for  the 

17 


.,* 


104 


•LAVIir. 


■lave  it  better  fed  and  clothed  than  the  freeman,  and  does  as' little  v/otk 
as  he  can.  The  slave-holders  in  the  eastern  states  are  well  aware  of  this, 
and  are  as  anxious  to  be  rid  of  slavery  as  are  the  abolitioniots  ;  but  the 
time  is  not  yet  come,  nor  will  it  come  until  the  country  shall  have  so 
filled  up  as  to  render  white  labour  attainable.  Such,  indeed,  are  not  the 
expectations  expressed  in  the  language  of  the  representatives  of  their 
states  when  in  congress  ;  but  it  must  be  remembered  that  this  is  a  ques- 
tion which  has  convulsed  the  Union,  and  that,  not  only  from  a  feeling  of 
pride,  added  to  indisnation  at  the  interference,  but  from  a  feeling  of  the 
necessity  of  not  yielding  up  one  tittle  upon  this  question,  the  language  of 
determined  resistance' is  m  congress  invariably  resorted  to.  But  these 
gentlemen  have  one  opinion  for  congress,  and  another  for  their  private 
table ;  in  the  first,  they  stand  up  ur'Imchingly  for  their  slave  rights ;  in 
the  other,  they  reason  calmly,  and  admit  what  they  could  not  admit  in 
public.  There  is  no  labour  in  the  eastern  states,  excepting  that  of  the 
rice  plantations  in  South  Carolina,  which  cannot  be  performed  by  white 
men ;  indeed,  a  large  proportion  of  the  cotton  in  the  Carolinas  is  now 
raised  by  a  free  white  population.  In  the  grazing  portion  of  these  states, 
white  labour  would  be  substituted  advantageously,  could  white  labour  be 
procured  at  any  reasonable  price. 

The  time  will  come,  and  I  do  not  think  it  very  distant,  sav  perhaps 
twenty  or  thirty  years,  when,  provided  America  receives  no  check,  and 
these  states  are  not  injudiciously  interfered  with,  that  Virginia,  Kentucky, 
Delaware,  Maryland,  North  Carolina,  (and,  eventually,  but  probably 
somewhat  later,  Tennessee  and  South  Carolina)  will,  of  their  own  ac- 
cord, enrol  themselves  among  the  free  states.  As  a  proof  that  in  the 
eastern  slave  states  the  negro  is  not  held  in  such  contempt,  or  justice 
toward  him  so  much  disregarded,  I  extract  the  following  from  an  Ameri- 
can work : — 

"  An  instance  of  the  force  of  law  in  the  southern  states  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  slave  has  just  occurred,  in  the  failure  of  a  petition  to  his  ex- 
cellency, P.  M.  Butler,  governor  of  South  Carolina,  for  the  pardon  of 
Nazareth  Allen,  a  white  person,  convicted  of  the  murder  of  a  slave,  and 
sentenced  to  be  hung.  The  following' is  part  of  the  answer  of  the  gover- 
nor to  the  petitioners : — 

** '  The  laws  of  South  Carolina  make  no  distinction  in  cases  of  delibe- 
rate murder,  whether  committed  on  a  black  man  or  a  white  man  ;  neither 
«an  I.  I  am  not  a  law-maker,  but  the  executive  officer  of  the  laws 
already  made ;  and  I  must  not  act  on  a  distinction  which  the  legislature 
might  have  made,  but  has  not  thought  fit  to  make. 

"'That  the  crime  of  which  the  prisoner  stands  convicted  was  com- 
mitted against  one  of  an  inferior  grade  in  society,  is  a  reason  for  being 
«specially  cautious  in  intercepting  the  just  severity  of  the  law.  This 
class  of  our  population  are  subjected  to  us  as  well  for  their  protection  as 
our  advantage.  Our  rights,  in  regard  to  them,  are  not  more  imperative 
than  their  duties ;  and  the  institutions,  which,  for  wise  and  necessary 
ends,  have  rendered  them  pecuUarly  dependent,  at  least  pledge  the  law 
to  be  to  them  peculiarly  a  friend  and  a  protector. 

**  *  The  prayer  of  the  petition  is  not  granted. 

"  «  PiBRCK  M.  BOTLBK.'  " 

In  the  western  states,  comprehending  Missouri,  Louisiana,  Arkansas, 
Mississippi,  Georgia,  and  Alabama,  the  negroes  are,  with  the  exception 
perhaps  of  the  two  latter  states,  in  a  worse  condition  than  they  ever  were 


■LAVMT. 


IM 


in  the  West  India  islands.  This  may  be  easily  imagiaed,  when  the 
character  of  the  white  people  who  inhabit  the  larger  portion  of  these 
states  is  considered — a  class  of  people,  the  majority  of  whom  are  without 
feelings  of  honour,  reckless  in  their  habits,  intemperate,  unprincipled,  and 
lawless,  many  of  them  having  fled  from  the  eastern  states,  as  fraudulent 
bankrupts,  swindlers,  or  committers  of  other  crimes,  which  have  subjected 
them  to  the  penitentiaries — miscreants  defying  the  climate,  so  that  they 
can  defy  the  laws.  Still  this  representation  of  the  character  of  the  peo- 
ple inhabiting  these  states  must,  from  the  chaotic  state  of  society  in 
America,  be  received  with  many  exceptions.  In  the  city  of  New  Or> 
leans,  for  instance,  and  in  Natchez  and  its  vicinity,  and  also  among  the 
planters,  there  are  many  most  honourable  exceptions.  I  have  said  the 
majority  :  for  we  must  look  to  the  moat— the  exceptions  do  but  prove  the 
rule.  It  is  evident  that  slaves,' under  such  masters,  can  have  but  little 
chance  of  good  treatment,  and  stories  are  told  of  them  at  which  humanity 
shudders. 

It  appears,  then,  that  the  slaves,  with  the  rest  of  the  population  of 
America,  are  working  their  way  weit,  and  the  question  may  now  be 
asked — Allowing;  that  slavery  will  be  soon  abolished  in  the  eastern  states, 
what  prospect  is  there  of  its  ultimate  abolition  and  ^Cotal  extinction  in 
America  1 

I  can  see  no  prospect  of  exchanging  slave  labour  for  free  in  the  west- 
em  states,  as,  with  the  exception  of  Missouri,  I  do  not  think  it  possible 
that  white  labour  could  be  substituted,  the  extreme  heat  and  unhealthi- 
ness  of  the  climate  being  a  bar  to  any  such  attempt.  The  cultivation  of  the 
land  must  be  carried  on  by  a  negro  population,  if  it  is  to  be  carried  on  at  all. 
The  question,  therefore,  to  be  considered  is,  whether  these  states  are  to 
be  inhabited  and  cultivated  by  a  free  or  a  slave  negro  population.  It 
must  be  remembered,  that  not  one-twentieth  part  of  the  land  in  the 
southern  states  is  under  cultivation ;  every  year,  as  the  slaves  are  brought 
in  from  the  east,  the  number  of  acres  taken  into  cultivation  increases.  Not 
double  or  triple  the  number  of  the  slaves  at  present  in  America  would 
be  sufficient  for  the  cultivation  of  the  whole  of  these  vast  territories.  Every 
year  the  cotton  crops  increase,  and  at  the  same  time  the  price  of  cotton 
has  not  materially  lowered ;  as  an  everywhere  increasing  population 
takes  off  the  whole  supply,  this  will  probably  continue  to  be  the  case,  for 
many  years,  since  it  must  be  remembered,  that,  independently  of  the 
increasing  population  increasing  the  demand,  cotton,  from  its  compara- 
tive cheapness,  continually  usurps  the  place  of  some  other  raw  material ; 
this,  of  course,  adds  to  the  consumption.  In  various  manufactures,  cot- 
ton has  already  taken  the  place  of  linen  and  fur ;  but  there  must  event- 
ually be  a  limit  to  consumption :  and  this  is  certain,  that  as  soon  as  the 
supply  is  so  ^eat  as  to  exceed  the  demand,  the  price  will  be  lowered  by 
the  competition ;  and,  as  soon  as  the  price  is  by  competition  so  lowered 
as  to  render  the  cost  and  keeping  of  Uie  slave  greater  than  the  income 
returned  by  his  labour,  then,  and  not  till  then,  is  there  any  chance  of 
slavery  being  abolished  in  the  western  states  of  America.* 

The  probability  of  this  consummation  being  brought  about  sooner  is 
in  the  expectation  that  thi  Brazils,  Mexico,  and  particularly  the  inde- 
pendent State  of  Texas,  will  in  a  few  years  produce  a  crop  of  cotton 
which  may  considerably  lower  its  price.    At  present,  the  Umted  States 

*  The  return  at  present  is  very  great  in  these  western  states  ;  the  labour 
of  a  slave,  after  all  his  expenses  are  paid,  producing  on  an  average  300  dol- 
Urs^65/)  per  annum  to  his  master. 


101 


SLAVMY. 


!» 


1881. 

1831. 

180,000,000 

82,000,000 

10,000,000 

6,000,000 

40,000,000 

175,000,000 

135,000,000 

44,000,000 

8,000,000 

380,000,000 

38,000,000 

9,000,000 

18,000,000 

36,000,000 

180,000,000 

116,000,000 

.  35,000,000 

4.000,000 

630,000,000 

820,000,000 

grow  nearly,  if  not  more,'than  half  of  the  cotton  produced  in  the'whole 
world,as  the  return  down  to  1831  will  eubatantikte. 

Cotton  grown  all  over  the  world  in  thejeara  1821  and  1831 ;  akowingthe 
inoreaae  in  each  country  in  ten  year*. 

United  Statea         .        .  Ibt. 

Brazil 

West  Indiea 

Egypt         ... 

Reat  of  Africa 

India  .... 

Rest  of  Aaia 

Mexico  and  South  America,  ez> 

cept  Brazil 
Elsewhere  .        . 

In  the  World        .  . 

The  increaae  of  cotton  grown  ail  over  the  world  in  tisn  yeara  is  there- 
fore 190,000,000  lbs.  Brazil  haa  only  increased  ,6,000,000 ;  Egypt  has 
increased  12,000,000  -,  India,  6,000,000.  Africa,  West  Indies,  South 
America,  Asia,  have  all  fallen  off;  but  the  defalcation  haa  been  made  good 
by  the  United  Statea,  which  have  increased  their  growth  by  206,000,000 
oflba.* 

In  the  Southern  portion  of  America  there  are  millions  of  acres  on 
which  cotton  can  be  successfully  cultivated,  particularly  Tezas,  the 
soil  of  which  is  so  congenial  that  they  can  produce  1,000  lb.  to  the  40O 
lb.  raised  by  the  Americans ;  and  the  quality  of  the  Texian  cotton  is 
said  to  be  equal  to  the  finest  sea  island  produce.  It  is  to  Texas  particu- 
larly that  we  must  look  for  this  produce,  as  it  can  there  be  raised  by 
white  labour  ;*  and  being  so  produced,  will,  as  soon  as  its  population  in- 
creases to  a  certain  extent,  be  able  to  under  sell  that  whicn  is  grown  in 
America  by  the  labour  of  the  slave.  ; 

*  Increase  of  cotton  grown  in  the  United  States,  from  the  year  1802  to 
1831. 


Yeart. 

lbs. 

Year*. 

lb». 

1802 

56,000,000 

1817 

130,000,000 

1803 

.  60,000,000 

1818 

.    .    .  125,000,000 

1804 

66,000.000 

1819 

',  *  .    167,000,000 

1805 

.    .    .,  70,000,000 

1820 

.    .    .  160,000,000 

1806 

.    .    80,000,000 

1821 

180,000,000 

1807 

.  80,000,000 

1822 

.   ,  .  210,000,000 

1808 

76i000,000 

1823 

.,   185,000,000 

1809 

.  82,000,000 

1824 

.  215,000,000 

1810 

85,000,000 

1825 

255,000,000 

1811 

.,   ,000,000 

1826 

.  300,000,000 

1812 

.    .    75,000,006 

1827 

270,000,000 

1813 

.  75,000,000 

1828 

.  326,000,000 

1814 

.   ,.    70,000,000 

1829 

365,000,000 

1815 

100,000,000 

1830 

.  360,000,000 

1816 

124,000,000 

1831 

385,000,000 

*  It  mSy  be  asked :  How  is  it,  as  Texas  is  ao  far  south,  that  a  white  popu- 
lation c;an  labour  there  ?  it  is  because  Texas  is  a  prairie  country,  and  situat- 
ed at  the  bottom  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  A.  sea-breeze  always  blows  across 
the  whole  of  the  country,  rendering  it  cool,  and  refreshing  it  notwithstand- 
ing the  power  of  the  sun's  rays.  This  breeze  is  apparently  a  continuation 
of  the  trade-winds  following  the  course  of  the  sun. 


ear  1802  to 


',  •LAVMY.  '     19T 

From'circumitaneef,  therefore,  Texas,  which  but  a  few  yean  einc* 
was  hardly  known  aa  a  country,  become*  a  state  of  the  greatest  im« 
portance  to  the  civilized  and  moral  world. 

I  am  not  in  this  chapter  about  to  raise  the  question  how  Texas  has 
been  ravished  from  Mexico.  Miss  Martineau,  with  all  her  admiration 
of  democracy,  admits  it  to  have  been  "  the  most  high-handed  theft  of 
modem  times ;"  and  the  letter  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  Channing  to  Mr. 
Clay  has  laid  bare  to  the  world  the  whole  nefarious  transaction.  la 
this  letter  Dr.  Channing  points  out  the  cause  of  the  seizure  of  Texas, 
and  the  wish  to  enrol  it  among  the  federal  states. 

"  Mexico,  at  the  moment  of  throwing  off  the  Spanish  yoke,  gave  a 
noble  testimony  of  her  loyalty  to  free  principles,  by  decreemg  '  Tnat  no 
person  thereaiter  should  be  born  a  slave,  or  introduced  as  such  into  the 
Mexican  states ;  that  all  slaves  then  held  should  receive  stipulated 
wages,  and  be  subject  to  no  punishment  but  on  trial  and  judgment  by 
the  magistrate.'  The  subsequent  acts  of  the  government  fuOy  carried 
out  these  constitutional  provisions.  It  is  matter  of  deep  grief  and  hu- 
miliation, that  the  emigrants  from  this  country,  white  boasting  of  supe- 
rior civilization,  refused  to  second  this  honourable  policy,  intended  to 
set  limits  to  one  of  the  greatest  of  social  evils.  Slaves  come  into 
Texas  with  their  masters  from  the  neighbouring  states  of  this  country. 
One  mode  of  evading  the  laws  was,  to  introduce  slaves  under  formal 
indentures  for  long  periods,  in 'some  cases,  it  is  said,  for  ninety-nin* 
years ;  but  by  a  decree  of  the  state  legislature  of  Coahuila  and  Texas, 
all  indentures  for  a  longer  period  than  ten  years  were  annulled,  and 
provision  was  made  for  the  freedom  of  children  during  this  apprentice- 
ship. This  settled,  invincible  purpose  of  Mexico  to  exclude  slavery 
from  her  limits,  created  as  strong  a  purpose  to  annihilate  her  authority 
in  Texas.  By  this  prohibition,  Texas  was  virtually  shut  against  emigra- 
tion from  the  southern  and  western  portions  of  this  country ;  and  it  .is  ' 
well  known  that  the  eyes  of  the  south  and  west  had  for  some  time  beea 
turned  to  this  province  as  a  new  market  for  slaves,  as  a  new  field  for 
slave  labour,  and  as  a  vast  accession  of  political  power  to  the  slarehold- 
lug  states.  That  such  views  were  prevalent  we  know ;  for,  nefarioiis 
as  they  are,  they  found  their  way  into  the  pubUc  prints.  The  project 
of  dismembering  a  neighbouring  republic,  that  slaveholders  and  slaves 
might  overspread  a  region  which  had  been  consecrated  to  a  free  popula- 
tion, was  discussed  in  newspapers  as  coolly  as  if  it  were  a  matter  of 
obvious  right  and  unquestionable  humanity.  A  powerful  interest  was 
thus  created  for  severing  from  Mexico  her  distant  province." 

The  fact  is  this : — America,  (for  the  government  looked  on  and 
offered  no  interruption,)  has  seized  upon  Texas,  with  a  view  of  extend- 
ing the  curse  of  slavery,  and  of  finding  a  mart  for  the  exoess  of  her  negno 
population :  if  Texas  is  admitted  into  the  Union,  alF  chance  of  the 
abolition  of  slavery  must  be  thrown  forward  to  such  an  indefinite  period, 
as  to  be  lost  in  the  mist  of  futurity ;  if,  on  the  contrary,  Texas  remains 
an  independent  province,  or  is  restored  to  its  legitimate  owners,  and  in 
either  case  slavery  is  abolished,  she  then  becomes,  from  the  very  circum- 
stance of  her  fertility  and  aptitude  for  white  labour,  not  only  the  great 
check  to  slavery,  but  eventually  the  means  of  its  abolition.  Never, 
therefore,  was  there  a  portion  of  the  globe  upon  which  the  moral  world 
must  look  with  such  interest. 

England  may,  if  she  acts  promptly  and  wisely,  make  such  terms  wi*.h 
this  young  state  as  to  raise  it  up  as  a  baniei  against  the  profligate  ambi- 

17* 


.1 


'^11 


-'Mi    (j 

Mi  I 


196 


StAVEKT. 


tion  of  America.  Texas  was  a  portion  of  Mexico,  and  Mexico  abolished 
slavery ;  the  Texians  are  bound  (if  they  are  Texians  and  not  Ameri- 
cans) to  adhere  to  what  might  be  considered  a  treaty  with  the  whole 
Christian  world ;  if  not,  they  can  make  no  demand  upon  its  sympathy 
or  protection,  and  it  should  be  a  sine  qua  non  with  England  and  alt 
other  European  powers  previous  to  acknowledging  or  entering  into  eom- 
mercial  relations  mth  Texas,  that  she  should  adhere  to  the  law  which  was- 
passed  at  the  time  that  she  was  an  integral  portion  of  Mexico,  and  declare 
herself  io  be  a  Free  State — if  she  does  not,  unless  the  chains  are  broken 
by  the  negro  himself,  the  cause  and  hopes  of  enumeipation  are  lost. 

There  certainly  is  one  outlet  for  the  slaves,  which  as  they  are  removed 
farther  and  farther  to  the  west  will  eventually  be  offered  : — that  of 
escaping  to  the  Indian  tribes  which  are  spread  over  the  western  frontier, 
and  amalgamating  with  them;  such  indeed,  I  think,  will  some  future 
day  be  the  result,  whether  they  gain  their  liberty  by  desertion,  insurrec- 
tion, or  manumission. 

Of  insurrection  there  is  at  present  but  little  fear.  In  the  eastern 
rlave  states,  the  negroes  do  not  think  of  it,  and  if  they  did,  the  difficulty 
of  combination  and  of  procuring  arms  is  so  great,  that  it  would  be 
attended  with  very  partial  sUccess.  The  intervention  of  a  foreign 
power  might  indeed  bring  it  to  pass,  but  it  is  to  be  hc^ed  that  England,, 
at  all  events,  will  never  be  the  party  to  foment  a  servile  war.  Let  u» 
not  forget  that  for  more  than  two  centuries  we  have  been  particep» 
crirmnis,  and  should  have  been  in  as  great  a  difficulty  as  the  Americans 
now  are,  had  we  had  the  negro  population  on  our  own  soil,  and  not  on 
distant  islands  which  could  be  legislated  for  without  affecting  the  condi- 
tion of  the  mother  country.  Nay,  at  this  very  moment,  by  taking  nearly 
the  whole  of  the  American  cotton  off  their  hands  in  exchange  for  our 
manufactures,  we  are  ourselves  virtually  encouraging  slavery  by  affording 
the  Americans  such  a  profitable  mart  for  th^ir  slave  labour. 

There  is  one  point  to  which  I  have  not  yet  adverted,  which  is.  Whe- 
ther the  question  of  emancipation  is  likely  to  produce  a  separation  between 
the  Northern  and  Southern  states  ]  The  only  reply  that  can  be  given  is, 
that  it  entirely  depends  upon  whether  the  abolition  party'  can  be  held  in 
check  by  the  federal  government.  That  the  federal  government  will  do 
its  utmost  there  can  be  no  doubt,  but  the  federal  government  is  not  sa 
powerful  as  many  of  the  societies  formed  in  America,  and  especially  the 
Abolition  Society,  which  every  day  adds  to  its  members.  The  interests 
of  the  North  are  certainly  at  variance  with  the  measures  of  the  society, 
yet  still  it  gains  strength.  The  last  proceedings  in  congress  show  that 
the  federal  government  is  aware  of  its  rapid  extension,  and  are  determined 
to  do  all  in  itt)  power  to  suppress  it.  The  following  are  a  portion  of  the 
resolutions  whi^h  were  passed  last  year  by  an  overwhelming  majority. 

The  first  resolution  was,  "  That  the  government  is  of  limited  powers, 
nA  that  by  the  constitution  of  the  United  States,  congress  has  no  juris- 
diction whatever  over  the  institution  of  slavery  in  the  several  states  of 
the  confederacy ;"  the  last  was  as  follows :  "  Kesolved,  therefore,  that 
all  attempts  on  the  part  of  congress  to  abolish  slavery  in  the  district  of 
OoIuDobia,  or  the  territories,  or  to  prohibit  the  removal  of  the  slaves  from 
state  to  state  ;  or  to  discriminate  between  the  constitution  of  one  portion 
of  the  confederacy  and  another,  with  the  views  afore^jaid,  are  in  violation 
of  the  constitutional  principles  on  which  the  union  jf  these  States  rests, 
•od  beyond  the  jurisdiction  of  congress ;  and  that  every  petition,  memo- 
rial, rotolution,  propositioi,  or  paper  touching  or  relating  m  anyway  or  to 


SLAVEKT. 


199 


,  insurrec- 


tiny  extent  whatever  to  slavery  ns  aforesaid,  or  the  abolition  thereof, 
shall  without  any  farther  action  thereon,  be  laid  on  the  table,  without 
printing,  reading,  debate,  or  reference."  Question  put,  "Shall  the  reso- 
lutions pass  1"    Yeas,  198  ;  Noes,  6. — Examiner. 

These  resolutions  are  very  firm  and  decided,  but  in  Englar.J  people 
have  no  idea  of  the  fanaticism  displayed  and  excitement  created  in  these 
societies,  which  are  a  peculiar  feature  in  the  states,  arid  arising  from  the 
nature  of  their  institutions.  Their  strength  and  perseverance  are  such 
that  they  bear  down  all  before  them,  and,  regardless  of  all  consequences, 
they  may  eventually  control  the  government. 

As  to  the  question  which  portion  of  the  .States  will  be  the  losers  by  a 
separation,  I  myself  think  that  it  will  be  the  northern  states  which  will 
suffer.  But  as  I  always  refer  to  American  authority  when  I  can,  I  had 
better  give  the  reader  a  portion  of  a  letter  written  by  one  of  the  southern 
gentlemen  on  this  subject.  In  a  letter  to  the  editor  of  the  National  Ga- 
zette, Mr.  Cooper,  after  referring  to  a  point  at  issue  with  the  abolitionists, 
not  necessary  to  introduce  here,  says — "  I  shall  therefore  briefly  touch 
upon  the  subject  once  more  ;  and  if  farther  provocation  is  given,  I  may 
possibly  enter  into  more  details  hereafter  ;  for  the  present  I  desire  to  hint 
at  some  items  of  calculation  of  the  value  of  the  Unidn  to  the  North. 

"  1.  Mr.  Rhett,  in  his  bold  and  honest  address,  has  stated  that  the 
expenditures  of  the  government  for  twenty  years,  ending  1836,  have  been 
four  hundred  and  twenty  millions  of  dollars ;  of  which  one  hundred  and 
thirty  were  dedicated  to  the  payment'  of  the  national  debt.  Of  the  re- 
mainder, two  hundred  and  ten  millions  were  expended  in  the  northern, 
and  eighty  millions  in  the  southern  states.  Suppose  this  Union  to  be 
severed,  I  rather  guess  the  government  expenditure  of  what  is  now 
about  fifteen  millions  a-year  to  the  North,  would  be  aii  item  reluctantly 
spared.  No  people  know  better  what  to  do  with  the  'cheese-parings 
and  the  candle-ends'  than  our  ffood  friends  to  the  North. 

"  2.  I  beg  permission  to  address  New  York  especially.  In  the  year 
1836  our  exports  were  one  hundred  and  sixteen  millions  of  ;lollars,  and 
our  imports  o^e  hundred  and  forty  millioiis.  It  i»  not  too  much  to  assign 
seventy-five  millions  of  these  imports  to  the  state  of  New  York.  The 
South  furnishes  on  an  average  two-thirds  of  the  whole  value  of  the  ex- 
port*. It  is  fair,  therefore,  to  say,  that  two-thirds  of  the  importa  are 
consumed  in  the  South,  that  is,  6fty  millions.  The  mercantile  profit  on 
fifty  millions  of  merchandize,  added  to  (he  agency  and  factorage  of  the 
Southern  products  transmitted  to  pay  for  them,  will  be  at  least  twenty 
per  cent.  Thattis,  New  York  is  gainer  by  the  South,  of  at  least  ten 
millions  of  dollars  annually ;  for  the  traffic  is  not  likely  to  decrease  after 
the  present  year.  No  wonder  *  her  merchants  are  like  princes !'  Sever 
the  Union,  and  what  becomes  of  them  1 

"  3.  The  army,  the  navy,  the  departments  of  government,  are  sup- 
ported by  a  revenue  obtained  from  the  indirect  taxation  of  custom-house 
entries,  the  most  fraudulent  and  extravagant  mode  of  taxation  known. 
Of  this  the  South  pays  two-thirds.  What  will  become  of  the  system  if 
the  South  be  driven  away  1 

"  4.  The  banking  system  of  the  Northern  states  is  founded  mainly  on 
the  traffic  and  custom  of  the  South.  Withdraw  that  for  one  twelve- 
month, and  the  whole  banking  system  of  the  North 

•■' ——tumblss  all  precipitate  .,     :  '.   '     m 

',        ,'- •'     Down  dash'd. 


I 


k' 


It       "9 


./,.    I 


SCO 


. BtAVERY. 


Suppose  even  ono  state  withdrawn  from  the  Union,  would  not  the  peci> 
niaiy  intercourse  with  Europe  be  paralyzed  at  onqe  1 

"  5.  The  South  even  now  ar«.  the  sfeat  consumers  of  New  England 
manufactures.  We  take,  ber  cotton,  ner  woollen  goods,  her  boots  aqd 
shoes.  These  last  form  an  item  of  upwards  of  fourteen  millions  annually, 
manufactured  at  the  North.  Much  also  of  her  iiron  .ware  comes  to  the 
South  ;  many  other  *  notions'  are  sent  among  iis,  greatly  to  the  advantage 
of  that  wise  people,  who  know  better  the  value  of  small  gains  and  small 
savings  than  we  do.        v  ^ 

"  6.  What  supports  the  shipping  of  the  North  but  her  commerce  ;  and 
of  her  commerce  two-thirds  is  Southern  commerce.  Nor  is  her  commtrce 
in  any  manner  or  degree  necessary  to  the  south ;  Europe  manufactures 
what  the  South  wants,  axiA  the  <Sou/A  raises  what  Europe  ipants.  Be- 
tween Europe  and  the  South  thejre  is  not  and  cannot  bean^  competition, 
for  there  is  no  commercial  or  manufacturing,  or  territorial  mterference  to 
excite  jealousies  between  them.  We  want  not  the  North.  We  can  do 
toithoiU  the  North,  if  we  separate  to-morrow.  We  can  find  carriers  and 
purchasers  of  all  we  have  to  sell,  and  of  aU  we  wish  to  buy,  without  cast- 
ing one  glance  to  the  North. 

t  "7.  The  North  seems  to  have  a  strange  inclination  to  quanel  with 
England.  The  late  war  of  1812  to  1814  was  a  war  for  Northern  claims 
and  Northern  interests,  now  we  are  in  jeopardy  from  the  unjust  interfe- 
rence in  favour  of  the  patriots  of  Canada ;  and  a  dispute  is  threatened 
on  account  of  the  north-eastern  boundary.  The  manufacturing  and  com- 
mercial interferences  of  the  North  with  Europe  will  always  remain  a  pos- 
sible, if  not  a  probable,  source  of  disputes.  The  North  ^raises  what 
Europe  raises  ;  commercially  they  need  not  each  other — they  are  two  of 
a  trade,  they  raise  not  what  each  other  wants^ — they  are  rivals  and  com- 
petitors  when  they  go  to  war.  Does  not  the  South,  who  is  not  interested 
m  it,  pay  most  part  of  the  expense?  and  is  not  the  war  ei^nditure  ap- 
plied to  the  benefit  of  the  North  1  iSever,  if  you  please,  the  Union,  and 
the  North  will  h&ve  to  pay  the  whole  expense  of  her  own  quarrels. 

"  8.  Our  system  of  domestic  servitude  is  a  great  aye-sore  to  the  fana* 
tics  of  the  North.  But  there  are-very  many  wise  and  honest  men  in  the 
North ;  ay,  even  in  Massachusetts.  .  I  ask  of  these  gentlemen,  does  not 
at  least  one-third  of  the  labour  produce  of  every  Southern  slave  ultimately 
lodge  in  the  purse  of  the  North  1  If  the  South  works  for  itself  it  works 
also  for  the  Northern  merchant,  and  views  his  prosperity  without  grudging. 

"9.  Nor  is  it  a  trifling  article  of  gain  that  arises  from  the  expenditure 
of  southern  visiters  and  southern  travellers,  who  spend  their  summers  and 
their  money  in  the  north.  The  quarrelsome  rudeness  of  northern  society 
Ss  fast  diminishing  this  sourte  of  expenditure  among  us.  Sever  the  Union, 
and  we  relinquish  it  altogether.  We  can  go  to  London,  Paris,  or  Rome, 
93  cheaply  and  as  pleasantly  as  to  Saratoga  or  Niagara. 

"  Such  are  some  of  the  advantages  which  the  north  derives  from  a  con- 
tinuance of  that  union  which  her  fanatic  population  is  so  desirous  to 
sever.  A  population  with  whom  peace,-  humanity,  mercy,  oaths,  con- 
tracts, and  compacts,  pass  for  nothing— 'whose  promises  and  engage- 
ments are  as  chaff  before  the  wind— j^o  whom  bloodshed,  robbery,  assas- 
sination, and  murder,  axe  objects  6f  placid  contemplation — whose  narrow 
creed  of  bigotry  supersedes  all  the  obligations  of  morality,  and  all  the 
commands  of  positive  law.  With  such  men  what  valid  compact  can  be 
m&de  1  The  appeal  must  be  to  those  who  think  that  a  deliberate  com- 
pact is  mutually  binding  on  parties  of  any  and  every  religious  creed.    To 


RILIOION  IN  AMIKIOA. 


SOI 


•uch  men  I  appeal,  and  ask,  ought  yon  not  resolutely  to^  restore  peace, 
and  sive  the  south  confidence  ana  repose  1  / 

"I  have  now  lived  twenty  years  in  South  CaroUna,'  and  have  had 
much  interooilirse  with  )^et  prominent  and  leading  men ;  not  ti  man 
nmong  them  is  ignorant  how  decidedly  in  most  respects,  the  south  would 
gain  by  a  severance  from  the  north,  and  how  ^uch  more  advantageous 
IS  this  union  to  the  porth  th^n  to  the  south.  But  I  am  deeply,  firmly 
persuaded  that  there  is  not  one  man  in  South  Carolina  that  would 
ifnove  one  step  toward  a  separation,  on  account  of  the  superior  advantages 
the  north  derives  from  the  union.  No  southern  is  actuated  by  these  pe- 
cuniary feelings ;  no  southern  begrudges  the  nprth  her  prosperity.  Enjoy 
your  advantages,  gentlemen  of  the  north,  and  much  good  may  they  do 
ye,  as  the^  have  hitherto.  But  if  these  unconstitutional  abolition  attacks 
upon  us,  in  utter  defiance  of  the  national  compact,  are  to  be  continued, 
God  forbid  this  union  should  last  another  year. 

"  I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant,    : 
"Thomas  Coopm.*' 


RELIGION  IN  AMERICA. 


In  theory  nothing  appears  more  rational  than  that  'every  one  should 
worship  the  Deity  according  to  his  own  ideas — form  his  own  opinion  as 
to  his  attributes,  and  draw,  his  own  conclusions  as  to  hereafter.  An  es- 
tablished church. op^earc  to  be  a  species  of  coercion,  not  that  your  are 
obliged  to  believe  in,  or  follow  that  form  of  worship,  but  that,  if  you  do 
not,  ^ou  lose  your  portion  of  Certain  advantages  attending  that  rorm  of 
religion  which  has  been  accepted  by  the  majority  and  adopted  by  the  go- 
vernment. In  religion,  to  think  for  yourself  wears  the  semblance  of  a 
luxury,  and  like  other  luxuries,  it  is  proportionably  taxed. 

And  yet^^ould  appear  as  if  it  never  were  intended  that  the  mass  should 
think  for  tbeiniMlves,  as  everything  goes  on  so  quieitly  when  other  peo- 
ple think  for  them,  and  everything  goes  so  wrong  when  thiy  .do  think 
for  themselves :  in  the  first  instance  where  a  portion  of  the  people  think 
for  the  mass,  all  are  of  one  opinion  ;  whereas  in  the  second,  they  divide 
and  split  into  many  molecules,  that  they  resemble  the  globules  of  water 
when  expanded  by  heat,  and  like  them  are  in  a  state  of  restlessness  and 
excitement. 

.  That  the  partiality  shown  (o  an  established  church  creates  some  bitter* 
ness  of  feeling  is  most  true,  but  being  established  by  law,  is  it  not  the  par- 
tiality shown  for  the  legitimate  over  the  illegitimate  1  All  who  choose 
may  emer  into  itsjportals,  and  if  the  people  will  remain  out  of  doors  of 
their  o'wn  accord,  ought  they  to  complain  that  they  have  no  house  over 
their  heads  1  They  certainly  have  a  right  to  remain  out  of  doors  if  they 
plea'be,  but  whether  they  are  justified  in  complaining  afterward  is  another 
question.  Perhaps  the  unreasonableness  of  the  demands  of  the  dissent- 
ers in  our  own  country  will  be  better  brought  home  to  them  by  my  point- 
ing out  the  effects  of  the  voluntary  system  in  the  United  States. 

In  America  every  one  worships  the  Deity  after  his  own  fashion ;  not 
only  the  mode  of  worship,  but  even  the  Deity  itself,  varies.  Some  wor- 
ship God,  some  Mammon  ;  some  admit,  some  deny,  Christ ;  some  deny 
both  God  and  Christ ;  some  are  saved  by  living  prophets  only  ;  some  go 
to  heaven  by  water,  while  some  dance  their  way  upwards.  Numerous 
as  are  the  sects,  still  are  the  sects  much  subdivided.  Unitarians  are  not 
in  unity  as  to  the  portion  of  divinity  they  shall  admit  to  our  Saviour ;  Bap- 


90f 


BILIOION  IN  HUCBIOA. 


tutt,  as  to  the  precise  quantity  of  water  necessary  to  salvation ;  ereit 
the  Qaakers  have,  split  into  controversy,  and  the  pxen  of  peace  are  at 
open,  war  in  Philadelphia,  the  city  of  lirotherly  love. 

The  following  is  the  table  of  the  religious  denominations  of  the  United 
States,  from  the  American  Almanac  of  1838^:•~-     ^  ,> 

Tabie  of  ths  Religious  DsNOMiNATrotfs  of  the  United  States. 


^ 

Dgngregations. 

Ministers. 

Communicants. 

Population. 

Baptistt 

«,M9 

4.239 

462,0001 
38,876 
4,603  f 

' 

Preewillers 
Seventh  Day 
SisPrimiple 

.763 
48 

612 
46 

4,300,000 

16 

10 

2,117J 

■ 

Roman  Catholics 

433 

389 

1800,000 

Christians 

1,000 

800 

160,000 

300,000 

Congregationaliats 
Duteh  Reformed 

1,300 
197 

1,16Q 
192 

160,000  . 
22,210 

-  11,400,000  • 
460,|K)0 

Epiacopaliana 

860 

,    '899 

I       60t),000 

Prienite 

fiOO 

100,000 

German  Reformed 

.     600 

180 

30,000 

Jews 

16,009 

Lutherans 

780 

267 

62,266 

540,000  , 

Mennpnites 

i         200 

30,000 

Wesieyans    - 
Protestants 

2,764 
400 

660,103  } 
60,000  $ 

3,000,000 

Moravians     - 

24 

38    > 

6,745. 

12,000' 

Mormonites 

is^odo 

.  12,000 

N.  Jerusalem  Choieb 

S7 

33 

6,000 

Presbyterians 

2,807 

2,225 

274,084] 

CfuAMirland 

600 

460 

60,000 

AisectAte 

183 

87 

16,000 

' "    * 

•fe  2,176,000 

Rdblttsd 

40 

20 

3,000 

,  ■'■- '. 

AsMbiate  Riformed 

214 

116 

12,000 

,1 

Sbalcers 

15 

»        46 

6,000 

i. 

Tunltera 

40 

■         40 

3,000 

30,000 

Unitarians 

200 

174 

180,000 

Uiiiversaiifits.     ,  • 

663 

317 

600,000 

'  1,983,905 

P* 

In  th 
Mance, 
Beparatt 
is  not' 


tfc 


RBUCaOir  IN  AMIRICA. 


908 


In  this  list  many  Tarieties  of  sects  are  blend^  into  one.  For  in- 
Mance,  the  Baptists,  who  are  dirided ;  also  the  Friends,  who  hare  been 
separated  into  Orthodox  and  HicHsitd,  the  Camelites,  &c.,  &c.  But  it 
is  not  Worth  while  to  enter  yato  a  detail  of  the  numerous  minor  sects,  or 
we  might  add  Deists.  Atheists,  &c. — for  even  no  religion  is  a  species  of 
creed.  It  must  be  obsenred,  tl^t,  according  to  this  table,  out  of  the 
whoIepopulationoftheUnited  States,  there  ajre  only  1,983.905,  (with 
the  exception  of  the  Catholics,  who  are  Communicants,)  tnat  is,  who 
have  openly  professed  any  creed',  the  numbers  put  down  as  the  popula- 
tion ot  the  aifferent  creeds  are  wholly ,  suppositious.  How  can  it  be 
otherwise,  when  people  have  not  professed  1  It  is  computed,  that  in 
the  census  of  1840  the  population  of  the  States  will  have  increased  to 
18,000,000,  so  that  it  may  oe  said  that  only  one  ninth  portion  have  pro- 
fessed and  openly  avowed  themselves  Christians. 
.  Beligion  may,  as  to  its  consequences,  be  considered  under  two  heads: 
as  it  anects  the  Aiture  welfare  of  the  individu|il  when  he  is  summoned 
to  the  presence  of  the  Deity,  and  as  it  affects  society  in  general,  by  act- 
ing u)x>n  the  moral  character  of  the  community.  Now,  admitting  the 
right  of  every  individual  to  decide  whether  he  will  follow  the  usual  bea- 
ten track,  or  select  for  himself  a  by-path  for  his  journey  upward,  it 
must  be  adcnowledged  that  the  results  of  this  free-will  are,  in  a  moral 
point  of  view,  as  far  as  society  is  concerned,  anything  but  satisfactory. 

It  would  appear  as  if  the  majority  were  much  too  frail  and  weeJc  to 
^eo  alone  upon  their  heavenly  journey  ;  as  if  they  required  the  qupport, 
the  assistance,  the  encouragement,  the  leaning  upon  others  who  are 
journeying  with  them,  to  enable  them  successfulfy  to  gain  the  goal. 
The  effects  of  an  established  church  are  to  cement  the  mass,  cement  so- 
ciety and  oomdiunities,  and  increase  the  force  of  those  natural  ties  by 
which  families  and  relations  are  bound  together  There  is  an  attrac- 
tion of  cohesion  in  an  uniform  religious  worship,  acting  favourably  up- 
on the  morals  of  the  mass,  and  binding  still  more  closely  those  already 
united.  Now,^e  voluntary  system  in  America  has  produced  the  very 
opposite  effects^^it  has  broKen  one  of  the  stronj3;est,  links  between  man 
and  man,  foi^ach  goeth  his  own  way :  as  a  nation,  there  is  no  national 
feeling  to  be  acted  upon  ;  in  society,  there  is  something  wanting,  and 

rou  ask  yourself  what  is  it  1  and  in  families  it  often  creates  disunion : 
know  one  among  many  others,  who,  instead  of  going  together  to  the 
samehouseof  prayer,  disperse  as -soon  as  they  are  outbf  the  door  :  one 
daughter  to  an  Unitarian  ehapel,  another  to  a  Baptist,  the  parents  to 
the  Episcopal,  the  sons,  any  where,  or  no  where.  But  worse  effects 
are  produced  than  even  these:  where  any  one  is  allowed  to  have  his 
own  peculiar  way  of  thinking,  his  own  peculiar  creed,  there  neither  is 
a  watch,  nbr  a  right  to  watch  over  each  other ;  there  is  no  mutual  com- 
munication, no  encouragement,  no  parental  control;  and  the  conse- 
quence is,  that  by  the  majority,  especially  the  young,  religion  becomes 
wholly  and  utterly  disregarded. 

Another  great  evil,  arising  from  the  peculiarity  of  the  voluntary  sys- 
tem is,  that  in  many  of  the  principal  sects  the  power  has  been  wrested  from 
the  clergy  and  assumed  by  the  laity,  who  exercise  an  inquisition  most 
injurious  tothe  cause  of  religion:  and  to  such  an  excess  of  tyranny  is 
this  power  exercised,  that  it  depends  upon  the  2a%,  and  not  upon  the 
clergy,  whether  any  individual  shall  or  shall  not  be  admitted  as  a 
comnmnicaTU  at  the  table  of  our  Lord.* 

*  Miss  Martineau  may  well  inquire,  "  How  does  the  existing  state 
of  religion  accord  with  the  promise  of  its  birth  1  In  a  country  which 
professes  to  every  man  the  pursuit  of  happiness  in  his  own  way,  what 


904 


REUOION  IN  AMERICA. 


Referring  to  religioas  instruction,  Mr,  Carey  in  his  work  attempts  to  ~ 
pi<ove'the  great  supetrionty  of  relieious  instruction  and  church  accom- 
modation in  America,  as  comparea  with  those  matters  in  this  country. 
He  draws  his  conclusions  from  tht  number  of  churches  built  and  provi- 
ded  for  the  population  in  each;  Like  most  others  of  his  conchisions, 
they  are  drawn  from  false  premises:  he  mieht  just  as  well  argue  upon 
the  number  of  horses  in  each  country,  from  the.  number  of  hOrse-ponds 
he  might  happen  to  count  in  each.  In  the  first  place,  the  size  of  the 
churches  must  be  considered,  and  their  ability  to  accommodate  the 
population ;  and  on  this  point,  the  question  is  greatly  in  favour  of  Eng- 
land ;  for,  with  the  exception  of  the  cities  and  large  towns,  the  churches 
scattered  about  the  hamlets  and  rising  towns  axe  small  eyen  to  ri- 
dicule, built  of  clap-boards,  and  so  Jight  that,  if  on  wheels,  two  pair  of 
English  post-horses  would  trot  them  away,  tp  lAeetthe  minister. 

]^r.  Carey  also  finds  fault  with  .the  sites  of  our  churches  as  being 
unfortimate  in  consequence  of  the  change  of  population.  There  is 
some  truth  in  this  remark  :  but  our  churches  being  built  of  bri^k  and 
stone,  cannot  b«  so  eanily  removed ;  and  it  happens  that  the  sites  of  the 
majorityof  the  Ame*  lean  churches  are  equally  unfortunate,  not  as  in 
our  case,  from  the  population  ha\vagleft  them,  but  from  the 'population 
not  having  come  to  them.  You  may  pass  in  one  day  a  dozen  towns 
havine  not  above  twenty  or  thirty  private  hojoses,  altho^gh  you  will  in- 
variamy  find  in  each  an  hotel,  a  bank,  and  churches  of  two  or  three  de- 
nominations, builv  as  a-  speculation,  either  by  those  who  hold  the 
ground  lotsr^  by  those  who  have  settled  there,  and  as  an  inducement 
to  others  to'  come  and  settle.  The  churches,  as  Mr.  Carey  states,  exist, 
but  the  congregations  have  not  arrived ;  while  you  may,  at  other  times, 
pass  over  n^any  miles  without  finding  a  place  of  worship  for  the  spare 
'  population.  I  have  no  hesitation  in  asserting,  riot  only  that  our  12,000 
chuichM  and  cathedrals  will  hold  a  larger  number  of  .people  than  the 
90,000  stated,  by  Mr.  Carey  to  be  erected  in  America,  but  that  as  many 
people,  (taking  into  consideration  Uie  difference  of  thjB.  population,)  go 
to  our  13,000,  as  to  the  20,000  in  the  United  States>/^ 

NeitJbter  is  Mr.  Carey  correct  when  he  would  insihuate^thatthe  atten- 
tion given  by  the  people  in  America  to  rdigious  accommodation  is 
greater  than  with  us.  It  is  true,  that  more  churches,  such  as  they  are, 
are  built  in  America ;  but  paying  an  average  of  £13,000  for  a  church 
built  of  brick  or  stone  in  England,  is  a  very  different  thing  from  paying 
13,000  dollars  for  a  clap-board  and  shingle  affair  in  America,  and  which 
compared  with  those.of  brick  and  mortar  are  there  in  the  proportion  of 
ten  to  one.  And  further,  the  comparative  value  o^  church  building  in 
Anicrica  is  very  much  low'ered  by  the  circumstance  that  they  are  com- 
pelled to  multiply  them,  to  provide  for  the  immense  variety  of  creeds 
which  exist  under  the  voVwntary  system.  When  people  in  a  communi- 
ty are  all  of  one  creed,  one  church  is  sufficient ;  but  if  they  are  of  differ- 
ent persuasions,  they  must,  as  they  do  in  America,  divide  the  one  large 
church  into  four  little  ones.  It  is  not  fair,  therefore,  for  Mr.  Carey  to 
count  churches.* 

But,  although  I  will  not  admit  the  conclusions  drawn  from  Mr.  Ca- 

is  the  state  of  his  liberty  in  the  most  private  and  individual  of  all 
concerns  1" 

*  "  We  know  also  that  large  sums  are  expended  annually  for  the 
building  of  churches  or  places  of  worship,  which  in  cities  cost  from 
10,000  to  100,000  dollars  each ;  and  in  the  country  from  500  to  5,000  dol- 
lars."—  Voice  from,  America,  by  an  American  Oentleman.  [What  must 
be  the  size  •£  a  church  which  costs  500  dollars  1] 


REUOIOM  IN  AMftaCA*  905 

rey'spnmiies,  nor  that,  as  he  woyld  attempt  to  prove,  the  Americans 
aire  a  more  religious  people  than  the  English,  I  am  not  onljr  ready,  but 
anxious  to  do  justice  to  the  really  religious  portion  pf  its  inhabitants. 
I  belioTe  that  m  no  other  country  is  thwe  more  zeal  shown  by  its  rari- 
ous  ministers,  zeal  even  to  the  sacrifice  of  life :  that  no  country  sends  out ' 
more  zealous  missionaries  :  that  no  country  has  more  societies  for  the  ^ 
diffusion  of  the  gospel:  ana  that  in  no  other  country  in  the  world  are* 
larger  sums  subscribed  for  the  furtherance  of  those  praise-worthy  ob- 
jects as  in  the  Eastern  States  of  America.    I  admit  all  this,  and  aditiit 
It  with  pleasure,  fbr  I  know  it  to  be  a  fact :  I  only  regret  to  add,  that  in , 
no  other  country  are  such  strenuous  exertions  so  incessantly  required  to ' 
stem  the  torrent  of  atheism  and  infidelity,  which  so  universally  exists 
in  this.    Indeed  this  very  zeal,  so  ard^t  on  the  part  of  the  ministers, 
and  so  aided  by  the  well-disposed  of  the  laity,  proves  that  what  I  have 
just  now  asserted  is,  unfortunately,  but  too  true. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  comment  upon  the  numerous  sects,  and  the 
varieties  of  worship  practised  in  the  United  States.  The  Episcopal 
church  is  small  in  proportion  to  the  others,  and  as  far  as  I  can  ascertain, 
although  it  may  increase  its  members  with  the  increase  of  population, 
it  is  hot  lively  to  make  any  vigorous  or  successful  stand  against  the 
other  sects.  Th^two  churches  tttbat  congenial  to  the. American  feelinge 
and  institutions  are  the  Presb3rterian  and  Congregalionalist.*  They 
may,  indeed,  in  opposition  to  the  hierarchy  of  the  Episcopal,  be  consi- 
dered as  Republican  churches ;  and  admitting  that  many  errors  have 
crept  into  the  established  chiirch  from  its  too  intimate  unio)A  with  the 
State,  I  think  it  will  be  proved  that,  in  rejecting  its  errors  and  the  do- 
mination of  the  mitre,  the  seceders  have  fallen  into  still  greater  evils; 
and  have,  for  the  latter,  substituted  a  despotism  to  which  every  thing, 
even  religion  itself,  must  in  America  succumb.  .    \        ','-.■ 

In  a- republic,  or  democracy,  the  people  will  rule  in  every  thin^,:  in. 
the  Congregational  church  tney  rule  as  deacons ;  in  the  Presbyterian  - 
as  elders.  Affairs  are  litigated  and  decided  in  committees  and  cottnj^ai 
and  thus  is  the  pastoral  office  deprived  of  its  primitive  and  legitin^te 
influence,  and  the  ministers  are  tyrannized  over  by  the  laity,  in^he 
most  absurd  and  most  unjustifiable  manner.  Iftheminister  does  hot 
.submit  to  their  decisions,  if  he  asserts  his  right  as  a  minister  to  preachy 
the  word  according,  to  his  reading  of  it,  he  is  arraigned  and  dismissed. 
jbi  short,  although  sent  for  to  instruct  the  people,  he  must  consent  to  be 
instructed  by  them  or  surrender  up  his  trust.  ,  Thus  do  the  ministers 
lose  all  their  dignity  and  become  the  slaves  of  the  congregation,  who 
give  them<  their  choice,  either  to  read  the  Scriptures  according  to  their 
reading,  or  to  go  and  starve.  I  was  once  canvassing  this  question  with 
an  American,  who  pronounced  that  the  laity  were  quite  right,  and  that 
it  was  the' duty  of  the  minister  to  preach  as  his  congregation  wished. 
His  argument  was  this: — "  If  I  send  to  Manchester  for  any-  article  to 
be  manufactured,  I  exptect  it  to  be  made  exactly  after  the  pattern  given ; 
if  not,  I  will  not  take  it :     so  it  is  with  the  minister :  he  must  find 

foods  exactly  suited  to  his  customers,  or  expect  them  to  be  left  on  his 
ands!" 

And  it  really  would  appear  as  if  such  were  the  general  opinion  in 
the  United  States.  Mr.  Colton,  an  American  minister,  who  turned 
from  the  Presbyterian  to  the  Episcopal  church,  in  his  "  Reasons  for 

*  "  The  Conere^ationalists  answer  to  the  Independ!ents  of  England 
and  are  sympathetically,  and  to  a  great  extent,  lineally  descendants  of 
the  Puritans," — Voice  from  America,  p.  63. 

18  > 


.'#:. 


966 


KliiaiON  IN  AMniOA. 


B^pitcopi^ey,"  makes  the  following  remarks;* 
and  elaers  of  their  churches,  he  says — 


speaking  of  the  deacons 


"  They  m&y  be  honest  and  good  men,  and  very  pious :  but  in  most 
churches  they  are  menof  little  intellectual  culture;  and  the  less  they 
hsTe,  the  more  confident  and  unhending  are  they  in  their  opinions.  If 
a  minister  travels  an  inch  beyond  the  circle  of  their  vision  in  theology, 
or  startles  them  with  a  new  idea  in  his  interpretation  of  Scripture,  it 
is  hot  unlikely  that  their  suspicions  of  his  orthodoxy  will  be  awakened. 
If  he  does  anything  out  of  (the  common  course,  he  is  an  innovator. 
If,  £ft>m  the  multiplicity  of  his  cares  and  engagements,  he  is  now  and 
then  obliged  to  preach  an  old  sermon,  or  does  not  visit  so  much  as 
might  be  expected,  he  is  lazy.  For  these  ahd  for  other  delinquencies, 
as  adjudged  by  these  associates,  it  becomes  their  conscientious  duty  to 
~  admonish  him.  He  who  is  appointed  to  supervise  the  flock,  is  himself 
supervised.  '  I  have  a  charge  to  give  you,  said  a  deacon  to  me  once, 
the  first  time  and  the  moment  I  was  introduced  to  him,  after  I  had 
preached  one  or  two  Sabbaths  in  the  place,  and,  as  it  happened,  it  was 
the  first  word  he  said  after  vi^e  shook  hands,  adding,  '  I  often  give 
charges  to  ministers.'  I  knew  him  to  be  an  important  man.  and  the 
fi,rst  in  the  churchj  but  as  I  had  nothi|%  at  stake  there  that  depended 
on  his  favor,  I  coisila  notiresist  the  temptation  of  replying  to  him  in  view 
ofihis  eons^uenitial  air8,t '  You  may  use  your  discretion,  sir,  in  this 
particular  instaju^e;  but  I  can  tell  you  that  ministers  are  sometimes 
ovei^ar'giqd.'    However.  I  did  not  escape. 

"M  seems  to  be  a  principle  in  Presbyterian  and  Congregational 
chWihes,  that  t|ie  minister  must  be  overlooked  Ly  the  elders  and  dea- 
txmi  and  if  ha^does  not  quietly  submit  to  their  rule,  his  condition  will 

.   hii  i^ncomjfbrtable.    He  may  also  expect  visitations  m>m  women  to  in* 

*   ittilc^him  in  his  duty ;  at  least,  they  will  contrive  to  convey  to  him 
,ri|^wr  dpinions,    It  is  said  of  Dr.  Bellamy,  of  Bethlehem,  Connecticut, 

*  Mm»  iflUi  eminently  a  peacet-maker,  and  was  always  sent  for  by  all  the 
c^JmIIm  in  the  country  around,  or  a  great  distance}  to  settle  their  diffl- 
iM^t^Mi)  ^at  having  just  returned  from  one  of  these  errands,  and  put  up 

^  hlfM>KS^,  another  message  of  the  same  kind  came  from  another  quar- 
ter-^'And  what  is  the  matter  T  said  the  Doctor  to  the  messenger. 
*•  Why^*^  said  he,  •  Deacon "  has — '    '  Has— that's  enough.   There 

never  is  adifiiculty  in  a  church,  but  some  old  deacon  is  at  uie  bottom 
of  it.' 

"Unquestionably,  it  is  proper,  wise,  and  prudent,  for  every  minister 
to  watch  and  consult  the  popular  opinion  around  him,  in  relation  to 

*  I  must  request  the  reader's  forbearance  at  the  extreme  length  of  the 
quotations,  but  I  cannot  well  avoid  making  them.  Whatever  weight 
my  opinion,  as  the  opinion  of  an  observant  traveller  may  have,,  it  must 
naturally  be  much  increased  if  supported,  as  it  always  is  when  oppor- 
tunity offers,  by  American  authority. 

t  "  The  American  clergy  are  the  most  backward  and  timid  class  in 
the  society  in  which  they  live;  self-exiled  from  the  great  moral  ques- 
tion of  the  time;  the  least  informed  with  true  knowledge — the  least  ef- 
ficknt  in  virtuQus.action — the  least  conscious  of  that  Christian  and  re- 
pi)bl\can  freedom  which,  as  the  native  atmosphere  of  piety  and  holiness. 

It  is  their  prime  duty  to^cherish  and  diffuse."— Miss  Martineau, 1 

quote  this  paragraph  to  contradict  it.  The  American  clergy,  are,  in  the 
mass,  equal,  if  not  superior,  to  any  in  the  world :  they  have  to  struggle 
with  diillculties  almost  insurmountable,  (as  I  shall  substantiate,)  and 
worthiif^do  they  perform  their  tasks. 


€: 


ftlUaiON  IN  AMBUCA. 


SQfT 


de«coni 


It  must 


hiiBMlf,  his  preaching,  and  his  conduct.  Bat,  if  a  minister  is  worthy 
to  be  the  pastor  of  a  people,  he  is  also  worthy  of  some  confidence,  ana 
oqght  to  receive  deftrence.  In  his  own  proper  work  he  may  be  hdped, 
h^  may  be  sustained,  but  he  cannot  be  instructed  by  his  people;  ha 
cannot  in  general  be  instructed  by  the  wisest  of  them.  Respectful  and 
kind  liints  from  competent  persons  he  may  receive,  ahd  should  Court — 
he  may  profit  by  them.  Bat,  if  he  is  a  man  fit  for  his  place,  he  should 
retain  that  honor  that  will  leav.e  him  s4x>pe,  and  inspire  him  with  coot- 
age  to  act  a  manly  part.  A  Christian  pastor  can  neVer  flilfil  hisofilce, 
and  attain  its  hienest  ehds^  without  being  free  to  act  among  his  peojbk 
according  to  thelif  ht  of  his  conscience  and  his  best  discretion.  To 
have  elders  and  deacons  to  rule  over  him,  is  to  be  a  Slave  —-  is  not  to  be 
a  man.  The  responsibilities,  cares,  burdens,  and  labors  of  the  pastoral 
office  are  enough,  without  being  impeded  and  oppressed  by  such  anxi> 
etios  as  these.  In  the  early  history  of  New  England,  a  non-conformist 
minister,  from  the  old  country,  is  represented  to  have  said,  after  a  little 
experience  on  this  side  of  the  wat^r,  *  I  \ett  England  to  get  rid  Of  my 
lords  the  bishops;  but  here  I  find  m  their  place  my  lords,  the  breduren 
and  sisters;  save  me  firorn  the  latter,  and  let  me  have  the  former.' 

„  It  has  actually  happened  within  a  few  years  in  New  England,  and  I 
believe  in  other  parts  or  the  ^htiy ,  that  theire  has  been  a  system  of  lay 
visitation  of  the  clergy  for  the  purpose  of  counm^ine;,  admonishing, 
and  urging  them  up  to  their  duty;  and  that  these  self-commissionM 
apostles,  two  and  two,  have  gone  from  town  to  town,  and  firom  district 
to  district  of  the  country,  mtudng  inquisition  at  the  mou^  of  CQjnmbn 
rumor,  and  by  such  methods  as  might  be  convenient,  int^  itbe  conduct 
and  fidelity  of  clergyn^en  whom  they  never  saw ;  and,  having  elhaust- 
ed  their  means  of  information,  have  made  their  way  into  the  cl^ts  of 
their  adopted  proteg6s ;  '    ^  -        ■>       •■^  ?-•-   —  j  «->-  ••: 

according  as  they  migti 

renewed  their  march,  *  ,  ^ 

the  next  parish,  in  the  assiCTed  round  of  their  visitations,  to 

same  scene,  and  so  on  till  tneir  work  was  done. 


"  Of  course,  they  were  variously  received;  though,  for  tlMm<M!t|Murt, 
I  believe  they  have  been  treated  civilly,  and  their  title  to  this'ei^ii|prise 
not  Openly  disputed.  There  has  been  an  unaccountable  submission  to 
things  of  this  kind,  proving  indeed  that  the  fninisters  thus  visited  were 
not  quite  manly  enough ;  or  that  a  public  opinion,  authorizing  these 
transactions,  had  obtained  too  extensive  a  sway  in  their  own  connex- 
ion, and  among  their  people,  to  be  resisted.  By  many,  doubtless,  it 
was  regarded  as  one  of  the  hopeful  symptoms  of  this  agie  of  religious 
experiment. 

"  I  have  heard  of  one  reception  of  these  lay  apostles,  which  may  not 
be  unworthy  of  record.  One  pair  of  them  —  for  they  went  forth  'two 
and  two,'  and  thus  far  were  conformed  to  scripture — both  of  them  me- 
chanics, and  one  a  shoemaker,  having  abandoned  their  calling  to  en- 
gage in  this  enterprise,  came  upon  a  subject  who  was  not  weH'disposed 
to  recognise  their  commission.  They  began  to  talk  with  him :  'We 
have  come  to  stir  you  up.'  — '  How  is  the  shoe 'business  in  your  city  V 
said  the  clergyman  to  the  shoemaker,  who  was  the  speaker:  for  it  was 
a  city  from  which  they  came.  The  shoemaker  looked  vapant,  and 
stared  at  the  question,  as  if  he  thought  it  not  very  pertinent  to  his  er^ 
rand ;  and,  after  a  little  pause,  proceeded  in  the  discnarge  of  his  oflice: 
*  We  have  come  to  give  your  church  a  shaking.'—'  Is  the  market  for 
shoes  good  V  said  the  clergyman.  Abashed  at  this  apparent  obliquity, 
the  shoemaker  paused  again;  and  again  went  on  in  like  manner.    To 


BBLKHOir  m  AMBUCA. 


^m 


which  thfe  dugyman:  '  Vour  bosineM  b  at  a  stand,  sir,  I  pnsume^  I 
•uppose  you  have  nothing  to  do.'  And  lo  the  dialogue  went  on :  the 
'■boemalMrconfinini;  himself  to  hi*  duty,  and  the  clergyman  talking 
jOnly  of  shoes,  in  varied  and  oonstantly>shi{ting  colloquy,  till  the  per- 
>ersa  and  widie^  ipertinaeity  of  the  tatter  discouraged  the  former;  and 
the  shoemaker  ana  his  brothel  took  up  their  hats, '  to  shake  off  (he  dust 
of  their  ibet,'  and^  turn  away  to  a  more  hopefUl  subject.  The  clergy- 
man bowed  them  very  civilly  out  of  dobrs,  expressing  his  wish,  as  they 
departed,  that  the  shoe  business  micht  soon  revive.  Of  course,  these 
'lay  apostles,  ii^  this  instance,  werenorror-struck;  and  it  cannot  be  sup- 
poaea  they  were  much  inclined  to  leave  their  blessing  behind  them. 

"  I  believe  I  do  not  mistake  in  expressing  the  conviction  that  there 
are  hundreds,  not  to  say  thousands,  or  the  Presbyterian  and  Cohgrega- 
tiontd  clergy,  who  will  sympathize  with  me.thorbuffhly  in  these  stric- 
tures on  the  encroachments  of  the  laity  upon  pastbruprerogative ;  who 
Sroan  under  it ;  who  feel  that  it  ought  to  be  rebuked  and  corrected,  but 
espair  of  it ;  and  who  know  that  wix  usefulness  is  abridged  by  it  to 
an  amount  that  cannot  be  estimated.*    It  can  hardly  be  demed,  I  think, 

y  *  "  The  Rev.  Mr.  Reid  mentions  a  nsry  whimsical  instance  of  the 
interference  of  the  laity  in  every  possible  way.  He  says,  that  being 
at  ehurch  one  Sabbath,  'there  was  one  reverend  old  man,  certainly  a 
leader  among  tbe^,  who  literally,  as  the  preacher  went  on  with  nis 
sermon,  kept  up  a  sort  of  recitation  with  him;  as,  for  instance,  the 
preacher  continuing  his  sermon-^ 

The  duty  here  inferred  is,  to  deny  ourselves — 

Smr.  God  enable  us  to  do  it. 

Preacher.  It  supposes  that  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God— 
it-  .Eider.  Ah,  indeed,  Lord,  it  is. 

Preacher.  The  very  reverse  of  what  God  would  have  us  to  be — 

,j!Id«r..  God  Almighty  knowi^  it's  true. 

Preacher.  How  necessary,  then,  that  Gk)d  should  call  upon  us  to 
iCDountee  every  thing^- 

BMsr.  God,helpus!  '  \ 

*d»  Preacher.  Is  it  necessary  for  me  to  say  more  ^ 
^  EViik.  No-oh— no !  • 

Preacher.  Hfive  I  not  said  enough  1 

Elder.  Oh,  yes,  quite  enough. 

Preacher.  I  rejoice  that  God  calls  me  t<)  give  up  every  thing— 

Elder.  Yes,  Lord,  I  would  let  it  all  go. 

Preacher.  You  must  give  up  all — 

Elder.  Yes— all. 

Preacher.  Your  pride— 

Elder.  My  pride. 

Preacher.  Your  envy. 

Elder.  My  envy. 

Preacher.  Your  covetousness — 

Elder.  My  covetousness. 

Preacher.  Your  anger. 

Elder.  Yes— my  anger. 

Preacher.  Sinner,  then,  how  awful  is  your  condition! 

Elder.  Howawftil! 
,  Preacher,  What  reason  for  all  to  examine  themselves. 

Elder.  Lord,  help  us  to  search  our  hearts !  ^  ' 

Preacher.  Could  you  have  more  motives  1    I  have  done. 

JSWer. '|:^ankGod. Thank  God  for  his  holy  word.  Amen.'» 


RKLIGION  IN  AMERICA. 


that  the  prevalence  of  this  spirit  has  greatly  increased  within  a  few 
years,  and  become  a  great  and  alarming  evil.  This  increase  is  owinjTi 
no  doubt,  to  the  influence  and  ne  w  practices  introduced  into  the  reli- 
gious world  by  a  certain  class  of  ministers,  who  have  lately  risen  and 
taken  upon  themselves  to  rebuke  and  set  down  as  unfaithrul  all  other 
ministers  who  do  not  conform  to  heir  new  ways,  or  sustain  them  in 
their  extravagant  career." 

The  interference,  I  may  say  the  t/ranny,  of  the  laity  over  the  minis- 
ters of  these  democratic  churches  is,  however,  of  still  more  serious  con- 
sequences to  those  who  accept  such  arduous  and  repulsive  duty.  It  ii 
a  well-known  fact,  that  there  is  a  species  of  broncnitis,  or  affection  of 
the  lungs,  peculiar  to  the  ministers  in  the  United  States,  arisine  from 
their  excessive  labors  in  their  vocation.  I  have  already  observed,  that 
the  zeal  of  the  minister  is  even  unto  death :  the  observations  of  Mr. 
Colton  fully  bear  me  out  in  my  assertion ; — 

_  "  There  is  another  serious  evil  in  the  Presbyterian  and  Congrega* 
tional  denominations,  which  has  attained  to  the  consequence  of  an  ac- 
tive and  highly  influential  dement  in  these  communities.    I  refer  to  the 
excessive  amount  of  labor  that  is  demanded  of  the  clergy,  which  is  un- 
dermining their  health,  and  sending  scores  to  their  graves  every  year, 
long  before  they  ought  to  go  there.    It  is  a  new  state  of  things,  it  must 
be  acknowledged,  and  might  seem  hopeful  of  good,  that  great  labors 
and  high  devotion  to  the  duties  of  the  Christian  ministry  in  our  country 
will  not  only  be  tolerated,  but  nre  actually  demanded  and  imperatively 
exacted.    At  first  glance,  it  is  a  most  grateful  feature.    But,  when  the 
particulars  come  to  be  inquired  into,  it  will  be  found  that  the  mind  and 
health-destroying  exactions  now  so  extensively  made  on  the  energies  of 
the  American  clergy,  particularly  on  these  two  classes  I  am  now  con- 
sidering, are  attributable,  almost  entirely,  to  an  appetite  for  certain  no- 
velties, which  have  been  introduced  within  a  few  years,  adding  greatly 
to  the  amount  of  ministerial  labor,  without  augmenting  its  efficiency, 
but  rather  detracting  from  it.    Sermons  and  meetings  without  end,  and 
in  almost  endless  variety,  are  expected  and  demanded;  and  a  propor- 
tionate demand  is  made  on  the  intellect,  resources,  and  physical  ener- 
gies of  the  preacher.    He  must  be  as  much  more  interesting  in  his  ex- 
ercises and  exhibitions  as  the  increased  multiplicity  of  public  religious 
occasions  tend  to  pall  on  the  appetite  of  hearers.    Protracted  meetings 
from  day  to  day,  and  often  from  week  to  week,  are  making  demands 
upon  ministers,  which  no  human  power  can  sustain  ;  and,  where  these 
are  dispensed  with,  it  is  often  necessary  to  introduce  something  tanta- 
mount, in  other  forms,  to  stitisfy  the  suggestions  and  wishes  of  persons 
so  influential  as  to  render  it  imprudent  not  to  attempt  to  gratify  them. 
In  the  soberest  congregations,  throughout  nearly  all  parts  of  the  land, 
these  importunate  and  (without  unkindness,  I  am  disposed  to  add)  mor- 
bid minds  are  to  be  found, — often  in  considerable  numbers.    Almost 
everywhere,  in  order  to  maintain  their  ground  and  satisfy  the  taste  of  the 
times,  labours  are  demanded  of  ministers  in  these  two  denominations 
enough  to  kill  any  man  in  a  short  period.    It  is  as  if  Satan  had  come 
into  the  world  in  the  form  of  an  angel  of  light,  seeming  to  be  urging  on 
a  good  work,  but  pushing  it  so  hard  as  to  destroy  the  labourers  by  over 
exaction. 

'•  The  wasting  energies — the  enfeebled,  ruined  health — the  frequent 
premature  deatlis — the  failing  of  ministers  in  the  Presbyterian  and  Con- 
gregational connexions  from  these  causes  all  over  the  country,  almost 
as  soon  as  they  have  begun  to  work — all  which  is  too  manifest  not  to 
be  seen,  wliich  everybody  feels  that  takes  Jany  interest  in  this  subjectr— 


tl9 


tttlOION  IN  AiOMei, 


«re prlndpalt)^,  and  with  few  exception!,  owing  to  the  anneeeMary  ex 
orbitant  demands  on  their  intellectual  powers,  their  moral  and  physical 
eaereies.  And  the  worst  of  it  is,  we  not  only  have  no  indemnification 
for  this  amazing,  immense  sacrifice,  by  a  real  improvement  of  the  state 
of  religion,  but  the  public  mind  is  vitiated :  an  unnatural  appetite  for 
•purious  excitements,  all  tending  to  fanaticism,  and  not  a  little  of  it  the 
essence  of  fanaticism,  is  created  and  nourished.  The  interests  of  reli- 
gion in  the  land  are  actually  thrown  backward.  It  is  a  fever,  a  disease 
which  nothing  but  time,  pains,  and  a  chance  of  system  can  cure.  A 
great  body  ofthe  most  tcuented,  best  educated,  most  zealous,  most  pious, 
smd  purest  Christian  ministers  in  the  country — not  to  disparage  any 
others — a  body  which  in  all  respects  will  bear  an  advantageous  com- 
parison with  any  of  their  class  in  the  world,  is  threatened  to  be  enerva- 
ted, to  become  sickly,  to  have  their  minds  wasted,  and  their  lives  sac- 
rificed out  of  season,  and  with  real  loss  to  thepnblic,  by  the  very  means 
which  prostrates  them,  even  though  we  should  leave  out  ofthe  reckoning 
the  premature  end  to  which  they  are  brought.  This  spectacle,  at  this 
moment  before  the  eves  of  the  wide  community,  is  enougn  to  fill  the  mind 
of  an  enlightened  Christian  with  dismay.  Ihave  myself  been  thrown 
ten  years  out  of  the  stated  use  of  the  ministry  by  this  very  course,  and 
may,  therefore,  be  entitled  to  feel  and  to  speak  on  the  subject.  And  when 
I  see  my  brethren  fallen  and  falling  around  me,  like  the  slain  in  battle, 
the  plains  of  our  land  literally  covered  with  these  unfortunate  victims, 
I  am  constrained  to  express  a  most  earnest  desire,  that  some  adequate 
remedy  may  be  applied." 

It  is  no  matter  or  surprise,  then,  that  I  heard  the  ministers  at  the 
camp  meeting  complain  ofthe  excess  of  their  labours,  and  the  difficul- 
ty of  obtaining  young  men  to  enter  the  church  ;*  who,  indeed,  unless 
actuated  by  a  nolvzeal,  would  submit  to  such  a  life  of  degraaation  1 
what  man  of  intellect  and  education  could  submit  to  be  schooled  by 
^oemakers  and  mechanics,  to  live  poor,  and  at  the  mercy  of  tyrants, 
and  drop  down  dead  like  the  jaded  and  over  laden  beast  from  excess  of 
fiitigue  and  exertion  1    Let  me  again  quote  the  same  author  : — 

•*lt  is  these  excessive,  multitudinous,  and  often  long  protracted  reli- 
gious occasions,  together  with  the  spirit  that  is  in  them,  which  have 
been  for  some  years  breaking  up  and  breaking  down  the  clergy  of  this 
land.  It  has  been  breaking  them  up.  It  is  commonly  observed,  that  a 
new  era  has  lately  come  over  the  Christian  congregations  of  our  coun- 
try in  regard  to  the  permanence  of  the  pastoral  relation.  Times  was  in 
the  memory  of  those  now  living  when  the  settlement  of  a  minister 
was  considered  of  course  a  settlement  for  life.  But  now,  as  every  body 
knows,  this  state  of  things  is  entirely  broken  up  ;  and  it  is,  perhaps, 
true  that,  on  an  average,  the  clergy  of  this  country  do  not  remain  more 
than  five  years  in  the  same  placet    And  it  is  impossible  they  should, 

♦  The  Rev.  Mr.  Rcid  observes,  speaking  ofthe  Congregationalists, 
"  When  I  rose  to  support  his  resolution,  as  requested,  all  were  gener- 
ously attentive.  At  the  close  I  alluded  emphatically  to  one  fact  in  the 
report,  which  was,  that  out  of  4,500  churches  there  were  2,000  not  only 
void  of  educated  pastors,  ImU  void  of  pastors;  and  I  insisted  that,  liter- 
ally, they  ought  not  to  sleep  on  such  a  state  of  things." — Reid  and  Ma- 
ikesonh  Tour. 

t "  I  was  sorry  to  find  that,  in  this  part  of  the  State,  the  ministers  are 
so  frequently  changing  the  scene  of  their  pastoral  labours.  The  fault 
■lay  sometimes  be  in  thomselvcs :  but,  from  conversations  I  have  heard 
•n  the  subject,  I  am  inclined  to  believe  Uiat  the  people  are  fond  of  a 
change."— iftfr,  Mr,  Reid, 


muaiON  IN  KiUMCA. 


•U 


in  the  preMiit  state  of  things.  They  cuuld  not  stan^  4  "o  namerous 
are  their  engagements;  soAill  of  anxiety  is  (h«ir  conditioi.  in  a  fevered 
state  of  the  public  mind  acting  upon  th^m  from  all  directions  ;  so  con- 
sumins;  are  their  labours  in  the  study  aiw^  in  public,  pmtiied  and  urged 
upon  them  bv  the  demands  of  the  time  ;  Hiirl;  withal,  so  Ackle  has  the 
popular  mind  become  under  a  system  that  is  fr^evur  demanding  some 
new  and  still  more  exciting  measure— some  new  society— some  new 
monthly  or  weekly  meeting,  which  perhaps  •lOon  grows  into  a  religious 
holiday— some  special  effort  running  thro:.^-i  many  days,  sometimes 
lasting  for  weeks,  calling  for  public  labours  uf  ministers,  of  the  must 
exciting  kind  throughout  each  day,  from  the  earliest  hour  of  the  morn> 
ing  to  a  late  hour  of  night  ;•— for  reasons  and  facts  of  this  kind,  so  abun- 
dant, and  now  so  obvious  to  the  public  that  they  need  only  to  be  refer* 
ed  to  to  be  seen  and  appreciated,  it  is  impossible  that  ministers  should  re- 
main  long  in  the  same  place.  Their  mental  and  physical  energies  be- 
come exhausted,  and  they  are  compelled  to  change  ;  first,  because  it  is 
not  in  the  power  of  man  to  satisfy  the  appetite  for  novelties  which  is  con- 
tinuallyand  from  all  quarters  making  its  insatiate  demands  upon  them  ; 
and  next,  that,  if  possible,  they  may  purchase  a  breathing  time  and  a 
transient  relief  from  the  overwheUning  pressure  of  their  cares  and  la- 
bours. 

"  But,  alas  t  there  is  no  relief:  they  are  not  only  broken  up,  but  they 
find  themselves  fast  breaking  down.  Wherever  thev  go,  there  is  the 
same  demand  for  the  same  scene  to  be  acted  over.  There  is — there  can 
be^no  stability  in  the  pastoral  relation,  in  such  a  state  of  the  publie 
mind  :  and,  what  is  still  more  melancholy  and  affecting,  the  pastors 
themselves  cannot  endure  it — they  cannot  live.  They  are  not  only  con- 
stantly  fluctuating— literally  afloat  on  the  wide  surface  of  the  communi- 
ty—but their  health  is  undermined — their  spirits  are  sinking — and  they 
are  fast  treading  upon  each  others'  heels  to  the  grave,  their  only  land  of 
rest. 

"  Never  since  the  days  of  the  apostles,  was  a  country  blessed  with  so 
enlightened,  pious,  orthodox,  faithful,  willing  clergy,  as  the  United 
States  of  America  at  this  moment;  and  never  did  a  ministry,  so  wor- 
thy of  trust,  have  so  little  independence  to  act  according  to  their  con- 
science and  best  discretion.  Tncy  are  literally  the  victims  of  a  spirit- 
ual tyranny  that  has  started  up  and  burst  upon  the  world  in  a  new 
form— at  least,  with  an  extent  orsway  that  has  never  been  known.  It 
is  an  influence  which  comes  upfromtne  lowest  conditions  of  life,  which 
is  vested  in  the  most  ignorant  minds,  and,  therefore,  the  more  unbend- 
ing and  uncontrollable.  It  is  an  influence  which  has  been  fostered  and 
blown  into  a  wide-spread  flame  by  a  class  of  itinerating  ministers,  who 
have  suddenly  started  up  and  overrun  the  land,  decrying  and  denoun- 
cing all  that  have  not  yielded  at  once  to  their  sway ;  by  direct  and 
open  efforts  shaking  and  destroying  public  confidence  in  the  settled  and 
more  permanent  ministry,  leaving  old  paths  and  striking  out  new  ones, 
demolishing  old  systems  and  substituting  others,  and  disturbing  ana 
deranging  tne  whole  order  of  society  as  it  had  existed  before.  And  it  is 
to  this  new  state  of  things,  so  harassing,  so  destructive  to  health  and 
life,  that  the  regular  ministry  of  this  country  (the  best  qualified,  most 
pious,  most  faithful,  and  in  all  respects  the  most  worthy  Christian 
ministry  that  the  church  has  ever  enjoyed  in  any  ace)  are  made  the 
victims.    They  cannot  resist  it,  they  are  overwhelmed  by  it." 

The  fact  is,  that  there  is  little  or  no  healthy  religion  in  their  most 
numerous  and  influential  churches ;  it  is  all  excitement.  Twenty  or 
thirty  years  back,  the  Methodists  were  considered  as  extravagantly 


119 


RELIOION  IN  AMERICA. 


frantic,  but  the  Congregationalists  and  Presbyterians  in  the  United 
States  have  gone  far  ahead  of  them ;  and  the  Methodist  church  in 
America  has  become  to  a  degree  Episcopal,  and  softened  down  into, 
perhaps,  the  moat  pure,  most  mild,  and  most  simple  of  all  the  creeds 
professed. 

I  have  said  that  in  these  two  churches  the  religious  feeling  was  that 
of  excitement :  I  believe  it  to  be  more  or  less  the  case  in  all  religion  in 
America ;  for  the  Americans  are  a  people  who  are  prone  to  excitement, 
not  only  from  their  climate,  but  constitutionally,  and  it  is  the  caviare 
of  their  existence.  If  it  were  not  so,  why  is  it  necessary  that  revivals 
should  be  so  continually  called  forth— a  species  of  stimulus,  common,  I 
believe,  to  almost  every  sect  and  creed,  promoted  and  practised  in  all 
their  colleges,  and  considered  as  most  important  and  salutary  in  their 
results.  Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  I  am  deprecating  that  which  is  to 
be  understood  by  a  revival,  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word ;  not  those 
revivals  which  were  formerly  held  for  the  benefit  of  all,  and  for  the 
salvation  of  many :  I  am  raising  my  voice  against  the  modern  system, 
which  has  been  so  universally  substituted  for  the  reality ;  such  as  has 
been  so  fully  exposed  by  Bishop  Hopkins,  of  Vermont,  and  by  Mr. 
Colton,  who  says — 

"Religious  excitements,  called  revivals  of  religion,  have  been  a  pro- 
minent mature  in  the  history  of  this  country  from  its  earliest  periods, 
more  particularly  within  a  hundred  years ;  and  the  agency  of  man  has 
always  had  more  or  less  to  do  in  their  management,  or  in  their  origi- 
nation, or  in  both.  Formerly,  in  theory,  (for  man  is  naturally  a  phi- 
losopher, and  will  always  have  his  theory  for  every  event,  and  every 
fact,)  they  were  regarded  as  Pentecostal  seasons,  as  showers  from  hea- 
ven, with  which  this  world  below  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  receive,  and 
be  refreshed  by  them  as  they  came.  A  whole  community,  or  the  great 
majority  of  them,  absorbed  in  serious  thoughts  about  eternal  things, 
inquiring  the  way  to  heaven,  and  seeming  intent  on  the  attainment  of 
that  high  and  glorious  condition,  presents  a  spectacle  as  solemn  as  it  is 
interesting  to  contemplate.  Such,  doubtless,  nas  been  the  condition  of 
many  communities  in  the  early  and  later  history  of  American  revivals ; 
and  it  is  no  less  true  that  the  fruits  have  been  the  turning  of  many  to 
God  and  his  ways. 

"  The  revivals  of  the  present  day  are  of  a  very  different  nature.* 
There  are  but  two  ways  by  which  the  mind  of  man  can  be  brought  to 
a  proper  sense  of  religion — one  is  by  love,  and  the  other  by  fear ;  and 
it  13  by  the  latter  only  that  modern  revivals  become  at  all  effective. 
Bishop  Hopkins  says,  very  truly  — '  Have  we  any  example  in  the 
preaching  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  of  the  use  of  strong  individual 
denunciation  V  Is  there  one  sentence  in  the  word  of  inspiration  to 
justify  the  attempt  to  excite  the  feelings  of  a  public  assembly,  until 

*  The  American  clergymen  are  supported  in  their  opinion  on  the 
present  revivals  and  their  consequences  by  Doctors  Reid  and  Mathe- 
Bon,  who,  otherwise  favorable  to  them,  observe,  "  These  revival 
preachers  have  denoi-  <ced  pastors  with  whom  they  could  not  compare, 
as  '  dumb  dogs,  hypo^i  ites,  and  formalists,  leading  their  people  to  hell. 
The  consequences  havjbe'^n  most  disastrous.  Churches  have  beoomo 
the  sport  of  derision,  dis.raction,  and  disorder.  Pastors  have  been 
made  unhappy  in  their  dearest  connexiona.  So  extensive  has  been 
this  evil,  that,  in  one  presbytery  of  nineteen  churches,  there  were  only 
three  who  had  settled  pastors;  and  in  one  synod,  in  1833,  of  a  hundred 
and  three  churches,  only  fifty-two  had  pastors." 


RELiaiON  m  AMEfRlCA. 


913 


until 


erery  restraint  of  order  is  forgotten,  and  confusion  becomes  identified 
with  the  word  of  God."  *  Yet  such  are  the  revivals  of  the  present  day, 
Bs  practised  in  America.  Mr.  Colton  calls  them — "  Those  startline 
andf  astounding  shocks  which  are  constantly  invented,  artfully  and 
habitually  applied,  under  all  th^power  of  sympathy,  and  of  a  studied 
and  enthusiastic  elocution,  by  a  large  class  of  preachers  among  vuu 
To  startle  and  to  shock  is  their  great  secret — their  power." 

The  same  author  then  proceeds :—  , 

"Religion  is  a  dread  and  awful  theme  in  itself.  That  is,  as  all  must 
concede,  there  are  revealed  truths  belonging  to  the  category.  To  in- 
vest these  truths  with  terrors  that  do  not  belong  to  them,  by  bringing 
them  out  in  distorted  shapes  and  unnatural  forms;  to  surprise  a  tender 
and  unfortified  mind  by  one  of  awful  import,  without  exhibiting  the 
corresponding  relief  which  Chistianity  has  provided  \  to  frighten,  shock, 
and  paralyze  the  mind  with  alternations  and  scenes  of  horror,  carefully 
concealing  the  ground  of  encouragement  and  hope,  till  reason  is  shaken 
and  hurled  from  its  throne,  for  the  sftke  of  gaining  a  convert,  and  in 
making  a  convert  to  make  a  maniac  (as  doubtless  sometimes  occurs  un- 
der this  mode  of  preaching,  for  we  have  the  proof  of  it,)  involves  a  fear- 
ful responsibility.  I  have  just  heard  of  an  interesting  girl  thus  driven 
to  distraction,  in  the  city  of  New  Yor)c,  at  the  tender  age  of  fourteen,  by 
being  approached  by  the  preacher  afltf  a  sermon  of  this  kind,  with  a 
secretary  by  his  side  with  a  book  and  pan  in  his  hand  to  take  down  the 
names  and  answers  of  those  who,  by  invitation,  remained  to  be  con- 
versed with.  Having  taken  her  name,  the  preacher  asked,  '  Are  you 
for  Qod  or  the  devil  V  Being  overcome,  her  head  depressed,  ana  in 
tears,  she  made  no  reply.  'Put  her  down,  then,  in  the  devil's  book !' 
said  the  preacher  to  his  secretary.  From  that  time  the  poor  girl  became 
insane;  and,  in  her  simplicity  and  innocence,  has  been  accustomed  to 
tell  the  story  of  her  misfortunes." 

And  yet  these  revivals  are  looked  up  to  and  supported  as  the  strong 
arm  of  religion.  It  is  not  only  the  ignorant  or  the  foolish,  but  the  en- 
lightened and  the  educated  also,  who  suppdrt  and  encourage  them, 
either  from  a  consideration  of  their  utility,  or  from  that  fear,  so  univer- 
sal in  the  United  States,  ofexprcssing  an  opinion  contrary  to  the  ma- 
jority. How  otherwise  could  they  be  introduced  once  or  twice  a  year 
into  all  the  colleges — the  professors  of  which  are  surely  most  of  them 
men  of  education  and  strong  mindl  Yet  such  is  the  fact.  It  is  an- 
nounced that  some  minister,  peculiarly  gifted  to  work  in  revivals,  is  to 
come  on  a  certain  day.  Books  are  thrown  on  one  side,  study  is  aban- 
doned, and  ten  days  perhaps  are  spent  in  religious  exercises  of  the 
most  violent  and  exciting  character.  It  is  a  scene  of  strange  confusion, 
some  praying,  some  pretending  to  pray,  some  scoffing.  Day  after  day 
is  it  carried  on,  until  the  excitement  is  at  its  height,  as  the  exhortations 
and  the  denunciations  of  the  preacher  are  poured  into  their  ears.  A 
young  American  who  was  atone  of  the  colleges,  and  gave  me  a  full 
detail  of  what  had  occurred,  told  me  that  on  one  occasion  a  poor  lad, 
frightened  out  of  his  senses,  and  anxious  to  pray,  as  the  vengeance  and 
wrath  of  the  Almighty  was  poured  out  by  the  minister,  sunk  down  upon 
his  knees  and  commenced  his  prayer  with  "  Almighty  and  diabolical 
God !"  No  misnomer,  if  what  the  prea9her  had  thundered  out  was  the 
truth. 

As  an  example  of  the  interference  of  the  laity,  and  of  the  description 

*  "  The  Primitive  Church  Compared,"  &c.,  by  the  Bishop  of  Ver« 
mont. 


«fp. 


1 


9U 


RriLIQION  IN  AMBRICA. 


of  people  who  may  be  so  authorized,  the  same  gentleman  told  me  that 
ait  one  revival  a  deacon  said  to  him  previous  to  the  meeting,  "  Now, 
Mr.  ,  if  you  don't  take  advantage  of  this  here  revival  and  lay  up 

a  little  salvation  for  your  soul,  all  I  can  say  is,  that  you  ought  to  nave 
your  (something)  confoundedly  well  kicked." 

What  I  have  already  said  on  this  subiect  will,  I  think,  establish  two 
points,  first,  that  the  voluntary  system  does  not  work  well  for  society ; 
and  secondlv,  that  the  ministers  of  the  churches  are  treated  with  such 
tyranny  ana  contumely,  as  to  warrant  the  assertion,  that  in  a  country, 
like  the  United  States,  where  a  man  may,  in  any  other  profession,  be- 
come independent  in  a  few  years,  the  number  of  those  who  enter  into 
the  ministry  must  decrease  at  the  very  time  that  the  population  and 
demand  for  them  will  increase. 

We  have  now  another  question  to  be  examined,  and  a  very  impor- 
ta«nt  one,  which  is — ^re  those  who  worship  under  the  voluntary  sys- 
tem supplied  at  a  cheaper  rate  than  those  of  the  established  churches 
in  this  kingdom  1 

I  say  this  is  an  important  question,  as  there  is  no  doubt  that  one  of 
the  principal  causes  of  dissenting  has  been  the  taxes  upon  religion  in 
this  country,  and  the  wish,  if  it  were  attainable,  of  worshipping  at  free 
cost.  In  entering  into  this  question,  there  is  no  occasion  to  refer  to  any 
particular  sect,  as  the  system  is  much  the  same  with  them  all,  and  ^s 
nearly  as  follows: 

Some  pious  and  well  disposed  people  of  a  certain  persuasion,  we  will 
say,  imagine  that  another  church  might,  if  it  were  built,  be  Well  filled 
With  those  of  their  own  sect :  and  that,  if  it  is  not  built,  the  conse- 
quences will  be  that  many  of  their  own  persuasion  will,  from  the  habit 
of  attending  other  churches,  depart  from  those  tenets  which  they  are 
anxious  should  not  only  be  retamed  by  those  who  have  embraced  them, 
but  as  much  as  possible  promulgated,  so  as  to  gather  strength  and 
make  converts — for  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  sectarian  spirit 
is  one  great  cause  of  the  rapid  church-building  in  America.*  One  is 
of  Paul,  another  of  ApoUos.  They  meet,  and  become  the  future  dea- 
cons and  elders,  in  all  probability,  to  whom  the  minister  has  to  bow ; 
they  agree  to  build  a  church  at  their  own  risque :  they  are  not  specula- 
tors, but  religious  people,  who  have  not  the  least  wish  to  make  money, 
but  who  are  prepared,  if  necessary,  to  lose  it. 

Say  then  that  a  handsome^  church  (I  am  referring  to  the  cities)  of 
brick  or  stone,  is  raised  in  a  certain  quarter  of  the  city,  and  that  it  costs 
75,000  dollars.  When  the  interior  is  complete,  and  the  pews  are  all 
built,  they  divide  the  whole  cost  of  the  church  upon  the  pews,  more  or 
less  value  being  put  upon  th^m  according  to  their  situations.  Allow- 
ing that  there  are  two  hundred  pews,  the  one  hundred  most  eligible 
being  valued  at  five  hundred  dollars  each,  and  the  other  one  hundred 
inferior  at  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars;  these  prices  would  pay  the 
75,000  dollars,  the  whole  expense  of  the  church  building. 

The  pews  are  then  put  up  to  auction;  some  of  the  most  eligible  will 
fetch  higher  prices  than  the  valuation,  while  some  are  sold  below  the 
valuation.  If  all  are  not  sold,  the  residue  remains  upon  the  hands  of 
the  parties  who  built  the  church,  and  who  may  for  a  time  be  out  of 
pocket.  They  have,  however,  to  aid  them,  the  extra  price  paid  for  the 
best  pews,  and  the  sale  of  the  vaults  for  burial  in  the  church-yard. 
Most  of  the  pews  being  sold,  the  church  is  partly  paid  for.    The 

*  Churches  are  also  built  upon  speculation,  as  they  sometimes  are  in 
England. 


RELIQOM  IM  AMERICl. 


315 


next  point  is  to  select  a  minister,  and,  after  due  trial,  one  is  chosen.  If 
he  be  a  man  of  eloquence  and  talent,  and  his  doctrines  acceptable  to  the 
many,  the  church  fills,  the  remainder  of  the  pews  are  sold,  and  so  far 
the  expenses  of  building  the  church  are  defrayed  |  but  they  have  still  to 
pay  the  salary  of  the  minister,  the  heatin^'and  lighting  of  the  church, 
the  organist,  end  the  vocalists :  this  is  done  by  an  assessment  upon  the 
pews,  each  pew  being  assessed  according  to  the  sum  which  it  fetched 
when  sold  by  auction. 

I  will  now  give  the  exact  expenses  of  an  American  gentleman  in 
Boston,  who  has  his  pew  in  one  of  the  largest  churches. 

He  purchased  his  pew  at  auction  for  seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars, 
it  bsing  one  of  the  best  in  the  church.  The  salaries  of  the  most  popular 
ministers  vary  from  fifteen  hundred  to  three  or  four  thousand  dollars. 
The  organist  receives  about  five  hundred ;  the  vocalists  from  two  to 
three  hundred  dollars  each.  To  meet  his  share  of  these  and  the  other 
expenses,  the  assessment  of  this  gentleman  is  sixty-three  dollars  per 
annum.  Now,  the  interest  of  seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  in  Amer- 
ica is  forty-five  dollars,  and  the  assessment  being  sixty-three — one  hun- 
dred and  eight  dollars  per  annum,  or  twenty-two  pounds  ten  shillings 
sterling  for  nis  yearly  expenses  under  the  voluntary  system.  This,  of 
course,  does  not  include  the  offerings  of  the  plate,  chanty  sermons,  &c., 
all  of  which  are  to  be  added,  and  which  will  swell  the  sum,  according 
to  my  friend's  statement,  to  about  thirty  pounds  per  annum.* 

It  does  not  appear  by  the  above  calculations  that  the  voluntary  sys- 
tem has  cheapness  to  recommend  it,  when  people  worship  in  a  respect- 
able manner,  as  you  might  hire  a  house  and  farm  of  fifty  acres  in  that 
State  for  the  same  rent  which  this  gentleman  pays  for  going  to  church ; 
but  it  must  also  be  recollected  that  it  is  quite  optional  and  that  those 
■who  do  not  go  to  church  need  not  pay  at  ail. 

It  was  not,  however,  until  late  years  that  such  was  the  case.  In 
Massachusetts,  and  in  most  of  the  Eastern  States,  the  system  was  not 
voluntary,  and  it  is  to  this  cause  that  may  be  ascribed  the  superior 
morality  and  reverence  for  religion  still  existing,  although  decaying, 
in  these  States.  By  former  enactments  in  Massachusetts,  landowners 
in  the  country  were  compelled  to  contribute  to  the  support  of  the 
church. 

Pews  in  cities  or  towns  are  mentioned  in  all  deeds  and  wills  as^cr- 
sonal  property;  but  in  the  country,  before  the  late  Act,  they  were 
considerea  as  real  estate. 

A  pew  was  allotted  each  farm,  and  whether  the  proprietor  occu- 

Sied  It  or  not,  he  was  obliged  to  pay  for  it ;  but  by  an  Act  of  the 
lassachusetts'  State  legislature,  passed  within  these  few  year.:,  it  was 
decided  that  no  man  should  be  compelled  to  pay  for  religion.  The 
consequence  has  been,  that  the  farmers  now  refuse  to  pay  fjr  their 
pews,  the  churches  are  empty,  and  a  portion  of  the  clergy  have  been 
reduced  to  the  greatest  distress.  An  itmerant  ranter,  who  will  preach 
in  the  open  air,  and  send  his  hat  round  for  cents,  suits  the  farmeis 

V 

*  "  A  great  evil  of  our  American  churches  is,  their  great  respectabil- 
ity or  exclusiven»?ss.  Here,  being  of  a  large  size  and  paid  by  Govern-  ^ 
ment,  the  church  is  open  to  all  the  citizens,  with  an  equal  right  and  ' 
equal  chancfe  of  accommodation.  In  ours,  the  dearness  of  pew-rent, 
especially  in  Episcopal  an4  Presbyterian,  turns  poverty  out  of  doors. 
Poor  people  have  a  sense  of  shame,  and  I  know  many  a  one,  who,  be- 
cause he  Qannot  go  to  Heaven  decently,  will  not  go  at  all." — Sketches 
of  Paris  by  an  American  Gentlenuin. 


816 


aSUOION  IN  AMBBICA. 


much  better  a,8  it  is  much  cheaper.  Certainly  this  does  not  areue  much 
for  the  progressive  advancement  of  religion,  even  in  the  moral  State  of 
Massachusetts. 

In  other  points  the  cause  ^f  morality  has,  till  lately,  been  upheld  in 
these  Eastern  States.  It  was  but  the  other  day  that  a  man  was  dis- 
charged fl-om  prison,  who  had  been  confined  for  disseminating  atheisti- 
cal doctrines.  It  was,  however,  said  at  the  time,  that  that  was  the  last 
attempt  that  would  ever  be  made  by  the  authorities  to  imprison  a  man 
for  liberty  of  conscience ;  and  I  believe  that  such  will  be  the  case. 

The  Boston  Advocate  says-—"  Abner  Kneeland  came  out  of  prison 

^esterday,  where  he  has  been  for  sixty  days,  under  the  barbarous  and 
igoted  law  of  Massachusetts,  which  imprisons(men  for  freedom  of  opin- 
ions. As  was  to  have  been  expected,  Kneeland's  liberation  was  made 
a  sort  of  triumph.  About  three  hundred  persons  assembled,  and  were 
addressed  by  him  at  the  jail,  and  he  was  conveyed  home  in  a  barouche. 
During  his  persecution  in  prison,  liberal  sums  of  money  have  been  sent 
to  him.  How  much  has  Christianity  gained  by  this  foul  blot  on  the 
escutcheon  of  Massachusetts  V 

It  is  however  worthy  of  remark,  that  those  States  that  have  enforced 
religion  and  morality,  and  have  punished  infidelity,*  are  now  the 
most  virtuous,  the  most  refined,  and  the  most  intellectual,  and  are 
quoted  as  such  by  American  authors,  like  Mr.  Carey,  who  by  the  help 
of  Massachusetts  alone  can  bring  out  his  statistics  to  anything  near 
the  mark  requisite  to  support  his  theories. 

It  is  my  opinion  that  the  voluntary  system  will  never  work  well  un- 
der any  form  of  government,  and  still  less  so  under  a  democracy. 

Those  who  live  under  a  democracy  have  but  one  pursuit,  but  one  ob- 
ject to  gain,  which  is  wealth.  No  one  can  serve  God  and  Mammon. 
To  suppose  that  a  man  who  has  been  in  such  ardent  pursuit  of  wealth, 
as  is  the  American  for  six  days  in  the  week,  can  recall  his  atteniiionana 
thoughts  to  serious  points  on  the  seventh,  is  absurd ;  you  might  as  well 
expect  him  to  forget  his  tobacco  on  Sunday. 

Under  a  democracy,  therefore,  y6u  must  look  for  religion  among  the 
women,  not  among  the  men,  and  such  is  found  to  be  the  case  in  the 
United  States.  As  Sam  Slick  very  truly  says,  "  It's  only  women  who 
attend  meeting  :  the  men  folks  have  their  politics  and  trade  to  talk  over 
and  havn't  ti'oie"  Even  an  established  church  would  not  make  people 
as  religious  under  a  democratic  form  of  government  as  it  would  under 
any  other.t 

I  have  yet  to  point  out  how  slander  and  defamation  flourish  under  a 
democracy.    Now,  this  voluntary  system,  from  the  interference  of  the 

-*  Miss  Martineau  complains  of  this  as  contrary  to  the  unalienable 
rights  of  man  : — "  Instead  of  this  we  find  laws  framed  against  specula- 
tive atheists ;  opprobrium  directed  against  such  as  embrace  natural  re- 
ligion otherwise  than  through  Christianity,  and  a  yet  more  bitter  op- 
pression exercised  by  those  who  view  Christianity  in  one  way  over 
those  who  regard  it  in  another." 

+  Mrs.  TroUope  observes,  "  A  stranger  taking  up  his  residence  in 
any  city  in  America,  must  think  the  natives  the  most  religious  people 
upon  earth."  This  is  very  true ;  the  outward  observances  are  very 
strict ;  why  so  will  be  better  comprehended  when  the  reader  has  finish- 
ed my  remarks  upon  the  country.  The  author  of  Mammon  very  truly 
observes,  that  the  only  vice  which  we  can  practise  without  being  ar- 
raigned for  it  in  this  world,  and  at  the  same  time  go  through  the  formi 
of  religion,  is  covetousness. 


RELIOION  Ilf  AlURICl. 


217 


laity,  'Who  iudge  not  only  the  minister,  but  the  congregation,  gives  what 
appears  to  be  a  legitimate  sanction  to  this  tyrannical  surveillance  over 
the  conduct  and  ^haviour  of  others.  I  really  believe  that  the  majority 
of  men  who  go  to  church  in  America  do  so  |iot  from  zeal  towards  God, 
but  from  fear  oftheir  neighbours ;  and  this  very  tyranny  in  the  more 
established  persuasions,  is  the  cause  of  thousands  turning  away  toother 
sects  which  are  not  subjected  to  scrutiny.  The  Unitarian  is  in  this 
point  the  most  convenient,  and  is  therefore  fast  gaining  ground.  Mr. 
Colton  observes,  "  Nothing  can  be  more  clear,  Uian  that  scripture  au- 
thority against  meddling,  tattling,  slander,  scandal,  or  in  any  way  in- 
terfering with  the  private  concerns,  conduct,  and  character  of  our  neigh- 
bours, except  as  civil  or  ecclesiastical  authority  has  clothed  us  with  le- 
gitimate powers,  is  specific,  abundant,  decided,  emphatic.  It  is  found- 
ed in  human  nature ;  it  is  essential  to  the  peace  of  society  :  a  departure 
from  it  would  be  ruinous  to  social  comfort.  If  therefore  it  is  proper  to 
introduce  any  rule  on  this  point  into  a  mutual  church  covenant,  it  seems 
to  me  that  the  converse  of  that  which  is  usually  found  in  that  place 
ought  to  be  substituted.  Even  the  apostles,  as  we  have  seen,  found  it 
necessary  to  rebuke  the  disposition  prevalent  in  their  time  to  meddle 
with  the  affairs,  and  to  make  inquisition  into  the  conduct  of  others.  But 
it  should  be  recollected,  that  the  condition  of  Christians  and  the  state  of 
society  then  were  widely  different  from  the  same  things  with  us.  Chris^ 
tianity  was  a  new  relieion,  and  its  disciples  were  generally  obnoxious. 
They  were'compelled  h/  their  circumstances  to  associate  most  intimate- 
ly ;  they  were  bound  together  by  those  symj)athies  and  ties,  which  a 
persecuted  and  suffering  class  always  feel,  independent  of  Christiav- 
affection.  Hence  in  part  we  account  for  the  holy  and  exemplary  an 
dour  of  their  attachments  to  their  religion  and  to  each  other.  But  even 
in  these  circumstances,  and  under  these  especial  intimacies,  or  rather, 
perhaps,  on  account  of  them,  the  apostles  found  it  necessary  to  admoi>- 
ish  them  against  the  abuse  of  that  confidence  so  generally  fek  and  re- 
ciprocated by  those  who  confessed  Christ  in  those  unhappy  times  ;  an 
abuse  so  naturally  developed  in  the  form  of  meddling  and  private  iiv- 
quisition." 

I  quote  the  above  passage,  as,  in  the  United  States,  the  variety  of 
sects,  the  continual  splitting  and  breaking  up  of  those  sects,  and  their 
occasional  violent  altercations,  have  all  proved  most  injurious  to  socie- 
ty, and  to  the  cause  of  religion  itself.  Indeed  religion  in  the  States 
may  be  said  to  have  been  a  source  of  continual  discord  and  the  unhing- 
ing of  society,  instead  of  that  peace  and  good-will  inculcated  by  our 
divine  Legislator,  It  is  the  division  of  the  Protestant  church  which 
has  occasioned  its  weakness  in  this  country,  and  will  probably  even- 
tually occasion,  if  not  its  total  subversion,  ut  all  events  its  subversion  in 
the  western  hemisphere  of  America. 

The  subjugation  of  the  ministry  to  the  tyranny  of  their  congrega- 
tions is  another  most  serious  evil ;  for  either  they  must  surrender  up 
their  consciences  or  their  bread.  In  too  many  instances  it  is  the  same 
here  in  religion  as  in  politics :  before  the  people  will  permit  any  one 
to  serve  them  in  any  office,  he  must  first  prove  his  unfitness,  by  sub- 
mitting to  what  no  man  of  honesty  or  conscientious  rectitude  would 
subscribe  to.  This  must  of  course,  in  both  cases,  be  taken  with  excep- 
tions, but  it  is  but  too  often  the  fact.  And  hence  has  arisen  another 
evil,  which  is,  that  there  are  hundreds  of  self-constituted  ministers, 
who  wander  over  the  western  country,  using  the  word  of  God  as  a 
cloak,  working  upon  the  feelings  of  the  women  to  obtain  money,  and 
rendering  religion  a  by-word  among  the  men,  who  will,  in  all  proba- 


1 


r;i| 

ll 

tj   r 

■-'>'4. 

1 

I- 


HIS 


VBUmOVS  IN  AMSftlCl. 


bility,  some  day  rise  up  and  lynch  some  dozen  of  them,  as  a  Ihint  for 
the  rest  to  clear  out. 

It  would  appear  as  if  Locofoco-ism  and  infidelity  had  formed  an 
union,  and  were  fighting  u^der  the  same  banner.  They  have  recently 
celebratod  the  birth-day  of  Tom  Paine,  in  Cincinnati,  New  York,  and 
Boston.  In  Cincinnati,  Frances  Wright  Darusmont,  better.known  as 
Fanny  Wright,  was  present,  and  mede  a  violent  politico-atheistical 
•peech  on  the  occasion,  in  which  she  denounced  banking,  and  almost 
«very  other  established  institution  of  the  country.  The  nature  of  the 
celebration  in  Boston  will  be  understood  from  the  following  toast,  given 
vn  the  occasion : 

By  Qeorgo  Chapman  :— "  ChrislianiUj  and  the  banks,  tottering  on 
their  last  legs :  May  their  downfall  be  speedy,''  &c.  &c. 

Miss  Martineau  informs  us  that  "  The  churches  of  Boston,  and 
«ven  the  other  public  buildings,  being  guarded  by  the  dragon  of 
bigotry,  so  that  even  Faith,  Hope,  and  Charity,  are  turned  back  from 
the  doors,  a  large  building  is  about  to  be  erected  for  the  use  of  all, 
Deists  not  excepted,  who  may  desire  to  meet  for  free  discussion."  She 
adds,  "  This  at  least  is  in  advance  I"  And  in  a  few  paces  further — 
*'  The  eagerness  in  pursuit  of  speculative  truth  is  shown  by  the  rapid 
Mle  of  every  heretical  work.  The  clergy  complain  of  the  enormous 
spread  of  bold  books,  from  the  infidel  tract  to  the  latest  handling  of  the 
miracle  question,  as  sorrowfully  as  the  most  liberal  members  of  society 
lament  the  unlimited  circulation  of  the  false  morals  issued  by  certain 
Religious  Tract  Societies.    Both  testify  to  the  interest  taken  by  the 

Eublic  in  religion.    The  love  of  truth  is  also  shown  by  the  outbreak  of 
eresy  in  all  directions !" 

Having  stated  the  most  obviousobjections  to  the  voluntary  system, 
I  shall  now  proceed  to  show  how  far  my  opinions  are  corroborated  by 
American  authorities.  The  author  of  "  A  Voice  from  America," 
observes  very  truly,  that  the  voluntary  system  of  supporting  religion 
in  America  is  inadequate  to  the  purpose,  and  he  closes  his  argument 
with  the  following  observation : — 

"  How  far  that  part  of  the  system  of  supporting  religion  in  America, 
which  appeals  to  the  pride  and  public  spirit  of  the  citizens,  in  erecting 
and  maintaining  religious  institutions  on  a  respectable  footing,  in 
towns,  cities,  and  villages,  and  among  rival  sects — and  in  this  manner 
aperating  as  a  species  of  constraint — is  worthy  to  be  called  voluntary, 
.  we  pretend  not  to  slay.  But  this  comprehends  by  far  the  greatest  sum 
that  is  raised  and  appropriated  to  these  objects.  Ail  the  rest  is  a  inere 
fraction  in  comparison.  And  yet  it  is  allowed,  and  made  a  topic  of 
grievous  lamentation,  that  the  religious  wants  of  the  country  are  most 
inadequately  supplied;  and  such,  indeed,  we  believe  to  be  the  fact." 

The  next  point  referred  to  by  this  author  is,  "that  the  American 
system  of  supporting  religion  has  brought  about  great  instability  in  the 
religious  world,  and  induced  a  ruinous  habit  of  cliange." 

This  arises  from  the  caprice  of  the  congregation,  for  Americans  are 
naturally  capricious  and  fond  of  change  :  whether  it  be  concerning  u 
singer,  or  an  actor,  or  a  clergyman,  it  is  the  same  thing.  This  rViyu- .i- 
can  author  observes,  "  There  are  few  clergymen  that  can  suppori.  Their 
€arly  popularity  for  a  considerable  time ;  and  as  soon  as  it  declines, 
they  must  begin  to  think  of  providing  elsewhere  for  themselves.  They 
go— migrate — and  for  the  same  reason,  in  an  equal  term  of  time,  they 
are  liable  to  be  forced  to  migrate  again.  And  thus  there  is  no  stability, 
buteverlasting  change,  in  the  condition  of  the  American  clergy.  They 
change,  the  people  change — all  is  a  round  of  change — because  all  de- 


•■■■if 


HEUOION  IN  AMCRICA. 


II 


pends  on  the  voluntary  principle.    The  clerical  profession  in  America 
IS,  indeed,  like  that  of  a  soldier;  always  under  arms,  frequently  fight- 
ing, and  always  ready  for  a  new  campaign    a  truly  militant  state.   A 
Clergyman's  Guide  would  be  of  little  use,  so  far  as  the  object  might  be 
to  direct  where  to  find  him:   he  is  not  this  year  where  he  was  last." 
And,  as  must  be  the  consequence,  he  justly  observes,  "  Such  a  system 
makes  the  clergy  servile,  and  the  people  tyrannical."     "  When  the  en- 
mity of  a  single  individual  is  sufficient  to  destroy  a  resident  pastor'9 
peace,  and  to  break  him  up,  how  can  he  be  otherwise  than  servile^  if  he 
has  a  family  about  him,  to  whom  perpetual  change  is  inconvenient  and 
disastrous  f     There  is  not  a  man  in  his  flock,  however  mean  and  un- 
worthy of  influence,  whom  he  does  not  fear ;  and  if  he  happens  to  dis- 
please a  man  of  importance,  or  a  busy  woman,  there  is  an  end  to  his 
peace ;  and  he  may  begin  to  pack  up.    This  perpetual  bondage  breaks 
down  his  mind,  subdues  his  courage,  and  makes  a  timid  nervous  wo- 
man of  one  who  is  entitled,  and  who  ought  to  be,  a  man.     He  drags 
out  a  miserable  existence,  and  dies  a  miserable  slave.      There  arc  ex- 
ceptions to  this  rule,  it  is  true;  because  there  are  clergymen  with  talent 
enough  to  rise  above  these  disadvantages,  enforce  respect,  and  main- 
tain their  standing,  in  spite  of  enemies." 

But  there  is  another  very  strong  objection,  and  most  important  one, 
to  the  voluntary  system,  which  I  have  delayed  to  bring  forward :  which 
is,  that  there  is  no  provision  for  the  poor  in  the  American  voluntary 
church  system.  Thus  only  those  who  are  rich  and  able  to  afford  reli- 
gion can  obtain  it.  At  present,  it  is  true  that  the  majority  of  the  peo- 
ple in  America  have  means  sufficient  to  pay  forfseats  in  churches,  if 
tliey  choose  to  expend  the  money;  but  as  America  increases  her  popula- 
tion, so  will  she  increase  the  number  of  her  poor;  and  what  will  be  the 
consequence  hereafter,  if  this  evil  is  to  contmue?  The  author  I  am 
now  quoting  from  observes,  "  At  best  the  poor  are  unprovided  for,  and 
the  talents  of  the  clergy  are  always  in  the  market  to  the  highest  bidder.* 
There  have  been  many  attempts  to  remedy  this  evil,  in  the  dense  popu- 
lation of  cities,  by  setting  up  a  still  more  voluntary  system,  called  '  tres 
churches,'  in  which  the  pews  are  not  rented,  but  free  to  all.  But  they 
are  MmfotmXy  failures. 

Two  other  remarks  made  by  this  author  are  equally  correct ;  first, 
that  the  voluntary  system  tends  to  the  multiplication  of  sects  without 
end ;  and  next,  that  the  voluntary  system  is  a  mendicant  system,  and 
involves  one  of  the  worst  features  of  the  church  of  Rome,  which  is,  that 
it  tends  to  the  production  of  pious  frauds.  But  I  have  already,  in  sup- 
port of  my  arguments,  quoted  so  much  from  this  book  that  I  must  refer 
the  reader  to  the  work  itself. 

At  present,  Massachusetts,  and  the  smaller  Eastern  States,  are  ths 
strong-hold  of  religion  and  morality ;  as  you  proceed  from  them  far- 
ther south  or  west,  so  does  the  influence  of  the  clergy  decrease,  until  it 
is  totally  lost  in  the  wild  States  of  Missouri  and  Arkansas.  With  the 
exception  of  certain  cases  to  be  found  in  Western  Virginia,  Kentucky, 
and  Ohio,  the  whole  of  the  States  to  the  westward  of  the  Alleghany 
Movntains,  comprising  more  than  two-thirds  of  America,  may  be  said  tb 
be  either  in  a  state  of  neglect  and  darkness,  or  professing  the  Catholic 
religion. 

*  This  is  true.  When  i  was  in  the  States  one  of  the  most  popular 
preachers  quitted  his  church  at  Boston  to  e;o  to  New  York,  where  he  was 
offered  an  increase  of  salary;  telling  his  parishioners  "that  he  found  he 
would  he  more  useful  elseiphere" — the  very  language  used  by  the  Laity 
to  tlve  clergyman  when  they  dismiss  him. 


sie 


KItlOlON  IN  iXIRIOA. 


Although  Virginia  is  a  slave  state,  I  think  there  is  more  religion  there 
than  in  some  of  the  more  uorthem  free  states ;  but  it  must  be  recollected, 
that  Virginia  has  been  long  settled,  and  the  non-preditU  state  of  the  slaves 
is  not  attended  with  demoralizing  effects ;  and  I  may  here  observe  that 
the  black  population  of  American  is  decidedly  the  most  religious,  and  sets 
an  example  to  the  white,  particularly  in  the  free  states.*' 

It  may  be  fairly  inquired,  can  this  be  true  1  Not  fifty  years  back,  at 
the  time  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  was  not  the  American  com* 
munity  one  of  the  most  virtuous  in  existence  1  Such  was  indeed  the 
case,  as  it  ij  now  equally  certain  that  they  are  one  of  the  most  demoralized. 
The  question  is,  then,  what  can  have  created  such  a  change  in  the  short 
period  of  fifty  years  1 

The  only^eply  that  can  bo  given,  is,  that  as  the  Americans,  in  their 
eagerness  to  possess  new  lands,  pushed  away  into  the  West,  so  did  they 
leave  civilization  behind,  and  return  to  ignorance  and  barbarism ;  tliey 
scattered  their  population,  and  the  word  of  God  was  not  to  be  heard  in 
the  wilderness. 

That  as  she  increased  her  slave  states,  so  did  she  give  employment, 
land,  and  power  to  those  who  were  indifferent  to  all  law,  human  or  divine. 
And  as,  smce  the  formation  of  the  Union,  the  people  have  yearly  gained 
advantages  over  the  government  until  they  now  control  it,  so  have  they 
cbntroUed  and  fettered  religion  until  it  produces  no  good  fruits.  - " 

Add  to  this  the  demoralizing  effects  of  a  democracy  which  turns  the 
thoughts  of  all  to  Mammon,  and  it  will  be  acknowledged  that  this  rapid 
fall  is  not  so  very  surprising. 

But,  if  the  Protestant  cause  is  growing  weaker  every  day  from  dis- 
unions  and  indifference,  there  is  one  creed  which  is  as  rapidly  gaining 
strength ;  I  refer  to  the  Catholic  church,  which  is  silently,  but  surely  ad^ 
vancing.f    Its  great  field  is  in  the  West,  where,  in  some  states,  almost 

*  Mr.  Reid,  in  his  Tour,  describes  a  visit  which  he  paid  to  a  black  church 
ia  Kentucky : — 

"  By  the  laws  of  the  state,  no  eoloured  persons  are  permitted  to  assemble 
for  worship,  unless  a  white  person  be  present  and  preside. 

"  One  of  the  black  preachers,  addressing  me  as  their  '  strange  master, 
begged  that  I  would  take  charge  of  the  service.  I  declined  doing  so.  He 
Mve  out  Dr.  Watts'  beautiful  psalm,  '  Shew  pity,  Lord,  oh  !  Lord  forgive.' 
They  all  rose  immediately.  They  had  no  books,  for  they  could  not  read  ; 
but  it  was  printed  on  their  memory,  and  they  sung  it  off  with  freedom  and 
feeling. 

"  The  senior  black,  who  was  a  preacher  among  them,  then  offered  prayer 
and  preached ;  his  prayer  was  humble  and  devotional.  In  one  portion,  he 
made  an  affecting  allusion  to  'iieir  wrongs.  '  Thou  knowest,'  said  the  good 
man,  with  a  broken  voice, '  our  state — that  it  is  the  meanest— that  we  are  as 
mean  and  low  as  man  can  be.  But  we  have  sinned — we  have  forfeited  all 
our  rights  to  thee,  and  we  would  submit  before  Thee,  to  these  marks  of  thy 
displeasure.' " 

Mr.  Reid  subsequently  asserts,  that  the  sermon  delivered  by  the  black  was 
an  "  earnest  and  efficient  appeal ;"  and,  afterward,  hearing  a  sermon  on  the 
same  day  from  a  white  preacher,  he  observes  that  it  was  a  "  very  sorry 
affair,"  in  contrast  with  what  he  had  before  witnessed. 

t  Although  it  is  not  forty  years  since  the  tirtit  Roman  Catholic  see  was 
created,  there  is  now  in  the  United  States  a  Catholic  population  of  800,000 
souls  under  the  government  of  the  Pope,  or  Archbishop,  12  Bishops,  and  433 
priests.  Tiie  number  of  churches  is  401 ;  mass  houses,  about  300 ;  colleges, 
10 ;  seminaries  for  young  men,  9 ;  theological  seminaries,  5 ;  noviciates  for 
Jesuits,  monasteries,  and  converts,  with  academies  attached,  31 ;  seminaries 
for  young  ladies,  30 ;  schools  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity,  29;  an  academy  for 
coloured  girls  at  Baltimore ;  a  female  infant  ^school,  and  7  Catholic  news- 
papers. 


aiBioioN  IK  Ammoit. 


891 


all  are  Catholics,  or  from  negjlect  and  ignorance  altogether  indiflferent  as 
to  religion.  The  Catholic  priests  are  dihgent,  and  make  a  largo  number 
of  converts  eveiy  year,  and  the  Catholic  population  is  added  to  by  the 
number  of  Irish  and  German  emigrants  to  the  West,  who  are  almost  all 
of  them  of  the  Catholic  persuasion.  ^ 

Mr.  Tocqneville  says —  . 

'*  I  think  that  the  Catholic  religion  has  enoneou8l3r  been  looked  upon> 
as  the  natural  enemy  of  democracy.  Among  the  various  sects  of  Chris- 
tians, Catholicism  seems  to  me,  on  the  contrary  ta  be  one  of  those  which 
are  most  favourable  to  equality  of  conditions.  In  the  Catholic  church, 
the  religious  community  is  composed  of  only  two  elements — the  priest 
and  the  people.  The  priest  alone  rises  above  the  rank  of  his  flock,  and 
all  below  him  are  equal.  On  doctrinal  points,  the  Catholic  faith  places 
all  human  capacities  upon  the  same  level.  It  subjects  the  wise  and  the 
ignorant,  the  man  of  genius  and  the  vulgar  crowd,  to  the  details  of  the 
same  creed ;  it  imposes  the  same  observances  upon  the  rich  and  the 
needy  ;  it  inflicts  the  tame  austerities  upon  the  strong  and  the  weak ;  it 
listens  to  no  compromise  with  mortal  man  ;  but,  reducing  all  the  human 
race  to  the  same  standard,  it  confounds  all  the  distinctions  of  society  at 
the  foot  of  the  same  altar,  even  as  they  are  confounded  in  the  sight  of 
God.  If  Catholicism  predisposes  the  faithful  to  obedience,  it  certainly 
does  not  prepare  them  for  inequality ;  but  the  contrary  may  be  said  of 
Protestantism,  which  generally  tends  to  make  men  independent,  mo're- 
than  to  render  them  equal." 

And  the  author  of  a  Voice  from  America  observer"— 

"  The  Roman  Catholic  church  bids  fair  to  rise  to  importance  in  Ameri- 
ca. Thoroughly  democratic  as  her  members  are,  being  composed,  for  the 
most  part,  of  the  lowest  orders  of  European  population,  transplanted  to- 
the  United  States  with  a  fixed  and  implacable^  aversion  to  everjrthing 
bearing  the  name  and  in  the  shape  of  monarchy,  the  priesthood  are  ac- 
customed studiously  to  adapt  themselves  to  this  state  of  feeling,  being 
content  with  that  authority  that  is  awarded  to  their  office  by  their  own 
communicants  and  members."* 

Now,  I  venture  to  disagree  with  both  these  gentlemen^  It  is  true,  as 
Mr.  Tocqueville  observes,  that  the  Catholic  church  reduces  all  the  hu- 
man race  to  the  same  standard,  and  confounds  all  distinctions — ^ot, 
however,  upon  the  principle  of  equality  or  democracy,  but  because  it  will 
ever  equally  exert  its  power  over  the  high  and  the  low,  assuming  its  right 

*  The  Rev.  Dr  Raid  ebserres : — 

"  I  found  the  people  at  this  tims  under  some  uneasiness  in  relation  to  the 
spread  of  Romanism.  The  partisans  of  that  system  arc  greatly  assisted  from 
Europe  by  supplies  of  money  and  teach«rs.  The  teachers  have  usually  more 
acquired  competency  than  the  native  instructors  ;  and  this  is  a  temptation 
to  parents  who  are  seeking  accomplishments  for  their  children,  and  who 
have  a  high  idea  of  European  refinements.  It  appeared,  that  out  of  four 
schools,  provided  for  the  wants  of  the  town  (Lexutgton,  Kentucky)  three 
were  in  the  hands  of  Catholics." 

To  which  we  may  add  Miss  Martineau's  observations : — 

"The  Catholics  of  the  country,  thinking  themselves  now  sufRciently 
numerous  te  be  an  American  Cathalic  church,  a  great  stimulus  has  been^ 
given  toproselytism.  This  has  awakened  fear  and  persecution ;  which  last 
has  again  been  favourable  to  the  increase  of  the  sect.  While  the  Presby- 
terians preach  a  harsh,  ascetic  persecuting  religion,  the  Catholics  dispense 
a  mild  and  indulgent  one ;  and  the  prodigious  increase  of  their  numbers  is  a' 
necessary  consequence.  It  has  been  so  impossible  to  supply  the  demand  tat: 
prietts,  that  the  term  of  education  has  been  shortened  by  two  years." 

19^- 


;k 


■M.. 


88S 


XILIOION  IN  AMfRICA. 


to  compel  princes  and  kings  to  obedience,  and  their  dominions  to  its  sub" 
jection.  The  cquaUty  professed  by  the  Catholic  dhurch,  is  like  th« 
equality  of  death,  all  must  fall  before  its  power ;  whether  it  be  to  excom* 
municate  an  individual  or  an  empire  is  to  it  indiiferent ;  it  assumes  the 
power  of  the  Godhead,  giving  and  taking  away,  and  its  members  stand 
trembling  before  it,  as  they  shall  hereafter  do  in  the  presence  of  the 
Deity. 

The  remark  of  the  author  of  the  Voice  from  America,  "  that  aware  of 
the  implacable  aversion  of  the  people  to  monarchy,  the  priesthood  are 
accustomed  atudioutly  to  adapt  thenuehes  to  this  state  of  feeling;"  proves 
rather  to  me  the  universal  subtlety  shown  by  the  Catholic  clergy,  which, 
added  to  their  zeal  and  perseverance,  so  increases  the  power  of  the 
church.  At  present  Catholicism  is,  comparatively  speaking,  weak  in 
America,  and  the  objects  of  that  church  is,  to  become  strong ;  they  do 
not,  therefore,  frighten  or  alarm  their  converts  by  any  present  show  of 
the  invariable  results ;  but  are  content  to  bide  their  time,  until  they  shall 
find  themselves  strong  enough  to  exert  their  power  with  triumphant  tn",^ 
cess.  The  Protestant  cause  in  America  is  weak,  from  the  evil  effect:!  of 
the  wluntary  system,  particularly  from  its  division,  into  so  many  aectr:. 
A  house  divided  against  itself  cannot  long  stand  ;  and  every  year  it  v  ill 
be  found  that  the  Catholic  church  will  increase  its  power:  and  it  is  a 
question  whether  a  hierarchy  may  not  eventually  by  raised,  which,  so  far 
from  advocating  the  principles  of  equality,  may  serve  as  a  check  to  the 
spirit  of  democracy  becoming  more  powerful  than  the  government,  curb- 
ing public  opinion,  and  reducing  to  better  order  the  pre&ent  chaotic  state 
of  society. 

Judge  Haliburton  asserts,  that  all  America  will  be  <..  Catholic  countr^^ 
That  all  America  west  of  the  AUeghanies  will,  eventually  be  a  Catholic 
country,  I  have  no  doubt,  as  the  Catholics  are  already  in  the  majority, 
and  there  is  nothing,  as.  Mr.  Cooper  observes,  to  prevent  any  state  from 
establishing  that, or  any  other  religion,  as  the  Religion  of  tlie  State;* 
and  this  is  one  of  the  dark  clouds  which  hang  over  the  destiny  of  the- 
western  hemisphere. 

Th»  reverend  Mr.  Reid  says : — "  It  should  really  seem  that  the 
Pope,  in  the  fear  of  expulsion  from  Europe,  is  anxious  to  find  a  reversion 
in  ^his  new  world.  The  crowned  heads  of  the  continent,  having  the 
same  enmity  to  free  political  institutions  which  his  holiness  has  to  free 
religious  institutions,,  willingly  unite  in  the  attempt  to  enthral  this  peo- 
ple. They  have  heard  of  the  necessities  of  the  West ;  they  have  the 
foresight  to  see  that  the  West  will  become  the  heart  of  tho  country,  and 
ultimately  determine  the  character  of  the  whole  ;  and  they  have  resolved 
to  establish  themselves  there.  Large,  yea  princely,  grants  have  been 
made  from  the  Leopold  society,  and  other  sources,  chiefly,  though  by  no 
means  exclusively,  in  favour  of  this  portion  of  the  empire  that  is  to  be. — 
These  sums  are  expended  in  erecting  showy  churches  and  colleges,  and 
in  sustaining  priests  and  emissaries.  Everything  is  done  to  captivate^ 
and  to  liberalize  in  appearance,  a  system  essentially  despotic.  The  sa- 
gacity of  the  effort  is  discovered,  in  avoiding  to  attack  and  shock  the 
prejudices  of  the  adult,  that  they  may  direct  the  education  of  the  young. 
They  look  to  the  future ;  and  they  really  have  great  advantages  in  doing 
so.     They  send  out  teachers  excellently  qualified ;  superior,  certainly, 

*  There  is  nothing  in  the  constitution  of  the  United  States  to  prevent  alt 
the  states,  or  any  particular  state,  from  possessing  an  established  religion.'" 
— Ceop«r'«  Democrat, 


■OOIBTISI  AND  ASIOCUTIOITf . 

to  the  run  of  native  teachers.*  Some  value  the  European  modn  of 
education  as  the  more  excellent,  others  value  them  as  to  the  mark  of 
fashion  ;  th»  demand  for  instruction,  too,  is  always  beyond  the  supply,  sa 
that  they  find  little  didlsulty  in  obtaining  the  charge  of  protestant  chil' 
dren.  This,  in  my  judgment,  is  the  point  of  policy  which  should  be 
especially  regarded  with  jealousy  ;  but  the  actual  alarm  has  arisen  from 
the  disclosuro  of  a  correspondence  which  avows  designs  on  the  West, 
beyond  what  I  have  here  set  down.  It  is  a  curious  affair,  and  is  one 
other  evidence,  if  evidence  were  needed,  that  popery  and  Jesuitism  are 
one." 

I  think  that  the  author  of  Sarn  Slick  may  not  be  wrong  in  his  assertion, 
that  all  America  will  be  a  Catholic  country.  I  myself  never  prophesy ; 
but,  I  cannot  help  remarking,  that  even  in  the  most  anti-Catholic  persua> 
sions  in  America  there  is  a  strong  Papistical  feeling ;  that  is,  there  is  & 
vying  with  each  other,  not  only  to  obtain  the  best  preachers,  but  to  have 
the  best  organs  and  the  best  singers.  It  is  the  system  of  excitement 
which,  without  their  being  aware  of  it,  they  carry  into  their  devotion.  Il 
proves  that,  to  them  there  is  a  weariness  in  the  church  service,  a  tedium 
m  prayer,  which  requires  to  be  relieved  by  the  stimulus  of  good  music 
and  sweet  voices.  Indeed,  what  with  their  anxiou*  seats,  their  revival*, 
their  music,  and  their  singing,  every  class  and  sect  in  the  states  have 
even  now  po  far  fallen  into  Catholicism,  that  religion  has  become  more 
of  an  appeal  tp  the  senses  than  to  the  calm  and  sober  judgment. 

SOCIETIES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Although  in  a  democracy  the  highest  stations  and  preferments  are 
open  to  all,  more  directly  than  they  may  be  under  any  other  form  of  go- 
vernment, still  these  prizes  are  but  few  and  insufficient,  compared  with 
the  number  of  total  bl^iks  which  must  be  drawn  by  the  ambitious  mul- 
titude. It  is,  indeed,  a  stimulus  to  ambition  (and  s  matter  of  justice, 
when  all  men  are  pronounced  equal),  that  they  all  should  have  an  equal 
chance  of  raising  themselves  by  their  talents  and  perseverance ;  but, 
when  so  many  competitors  are  permitted  to  enter  the  field,  few  can 
arrive  at  the  goal,  and  the  mass  are  doomed  to  disappointment.  How- 
ever fair,  therefore,  it  may  be  to  admit  all  te  the  competition,  certain  it 
is  that  the  competition  cannot  add  to  the  happiness  of  a  people,  when 
we  consider  the  feelings  of  bitterness  and  ill-will  naturally  engendered 
among  the  disappointed  multitude. 

In  monarchical  and  aristocratical  institutions,  the  middling  and  lower 
classes,  whose  chances  of  advancement  are  so  small  that  they  seldom 
lift  their  eyes  or  thoughts  above  their  own  sphere,  are  therefore  much 
happier,  and  it  may  be  added,  much  more  virtuous  than  those  who  strug- 
gle continually  for  preferment  in  the  tumultuous  sea  of  democracy.— 
Wealth  can  give  some  importance,  but  wealth  in  a  democracy  gives  an 
importance  which  is  so  common  to  many  that  it  loses  much  of  its  value  ; 
and  when  it  has  been  acquirf^d,  it  is  not  sufficient  for  the  restless  ambi- 
tion of  the  American  temperament,  which  will  always  spurn  wealth  for 
power.  The  effects,  therefore,  of  a  democracy  are,  first  to  raise  an  in^ 
ordinate  ambition  among  the  people,  and  then  to  cramp  the  very  ambition, 
which  it  has  raised  ;  and,  as  I  may  comment  upon  hereafter,  it  appears 
as  if  this  ambition  of  the  people,  individually  checked  by  the  nature  of 

*  The  Catholic  priests,  who  instruct,  arc,  to  laj  knowledge,  the  best  edu- 
cated men  in  the  states.    It  was  a  pleasure  to  be  in.  their  company. 


1> 


fM  MCIITIM  AND  AIIOOtATIONI. 

th«ir  institMtioM,  becomes,  «■  it  were,  concentratedl  and  collected  into  » 
focQi  in  upholding  and  contemplating  the  succeaa  and  increaae  of  power 
in  the  federal  government.  Thua  has  been  produced  a  species  of  de- 
moralizing reaction ;  the  disappointed  uni/«  to  a  certain  degree  satisfying 
themselves  with  any  advance  m  the  power  and  importance  of  the  whole 
Union,  wholly  regardless  of  the  means  by  which  such  increase  may  have 
been  obtained. 

But  this  unsatisfied  ambition  has  found  another  vent  in  the  formation  of 
many  powerful  religious  and  other  associations.  In  a  country  where  there 
will-over  be  an  attempt  of  the  people  to  tyrannize  over  every  body  and  every- 
thing,  power  they  will  have  ;  and  if  they  cannot  obtain  it  in  the  various 
departments  of  the  States  Governments,  thev  will  have  it  in  opposition  to 
the  Government ;  for  all  these  societies  and  associations  connect  them- 
selves directly  with  politics.*  It  is  of  little  consequence  by  what  de- 
scription of  tie  "  these  sticks  in  the  fable"  are  bound  up  together  ;  once 
bound  together,  they  are  not  to  be  broken.  In  America  rdigion  severs 
the  community,  but  these  societies  are  the  bonds  which  to  a  certain  de- 
gree reunite  it. 

To  enumerate  the  whole  of  these  societies  actually  existing,  or  which 
have  been  in  existence,  would  be  difficult.  Tin  following  are  the  most 
prominent  :— 

LUt  of  BtnevoleiU  Soeietiet,  toith  their  Rtceipts  in  tht  Year  1834. 

Dolls.  Cts. 
American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions  155,003  24 
American  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions          -        •  03,000  00 
Western  Foreign  Mission  Society  at  Pittsburgh,  Pennsyl- 
vania.         16,296  46 

Methodist  Episcopal  Missionary  Society  -  -  -  36,700  15 
Protestant  Episcopal  Foreign  and  Domestic  Missionary 

Society 26,007  97 

American  Home  Missionary  Society        ....  78,911  24 
Baptist  Home  Missionary  Society           ....  11,44828 
Board  of  Missions  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  (Do- 
mestic)       5,572  97 

Board  of  Missions  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  (Domestic)  estimated         ...  40,000  00 

American  Education  Society 57,122  20 

Board  of  Education  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Pres- 
byterian churches 38,000  00 

Northern  Baptist  Education  Society        ....  4,681  11 

Board  of  Education  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church        •  1,270  20 

American  Bible  Society 88,600  82 

American  Sunday  School  Union 136,855  58 

General  Protestant  Episcopal  Sunday  School  Union.        -  6,641  00 

Baptist  General  Tract  Society 6,126  97 

American  Tract  Society         -        -        -        ...  66,48&  83 

*' "  Not  long  afterwards,  a  prominent  Presbyterian  clergyman  of  Phila- 
delphia thought  fit  to  preach  and  publish)  a  sermon,  wherein  it  was  set 
forth  and  conclusively  proved,  that  on  such  and  such  contingsneies  of  united 
'  religious  effort  of  the  religious  public,  the  majority  of  the  American  people 
could  be  made  religious ;  consequently  they  might  carry  their  religimia  injlu- 
jmce.  to  the  t>oU«,  consequently  the  religious  would  be  able  to  turn  all  the  pro- 
fiane  oul  0/ oj^e,  and  consequently,  the  Asnerican  people  would  become  a 
Ckriftian  nation  l--Voicefrom  America  by  an  American  Gentleman, 


into  a 
power 
of  de- 

tufving 
whole 

sy  have 


'V'^**' 


■OC  ITIIS  AMD  AMOOUTIONI.  SSft 

Atnorican  Colonization  Society 48,9S9  17 

Prison  Discipline  Society 2,364  00 

American  Seamen's  Fr  <nd  Society        .        .        •  16,064  00 

American  Tomperanco    ociety       .       .        ■        •        .  6,871  IS 

8,910,901  81 

Many  of  these  societies  had  not  been  established  more  than  ten  years 
at  the  date  given  ;  they  must  have  increased  very  much  since  that  pe^ 
riod.  Of  course  many  of  them  are  very  useful,  and  very  well  conducted. 
There  are  many  others :  New  England  Non-resistance  Society,  Sabbath 
Observance  Society,  &c. ;  in  fact,  the  Americans  are  society  mad.  I  do 
not  intend  tp  speak  with  the  least  disrespect'of  the  societies,  but  the  zeal 
or  fanaticism,  if  I  may  use  the  term,  with  which  many,  if  not  all,  of  them 
are  carried  on,  is  too  remarkable  a  feature  in  the  American  character  to 
be  passed  over  without  comment.  Man^  of  these  societies  have  done 
much  good,  particularly  the  religious  societies ;  but  many  others,  from 
being  pushed  too  far,  have  dono  great  mischief,  and  have  very  much  as* 
sisted  to  demoralize  the  community.  I  remember  once  hearing  a  story 
of  an  ostler  who  confessed  to  a  Catholic  priest ;  he  enumerated  a  Ions 
catalogue  of  enormities  peculiar  to  his  profession,  and  when  he  had 
finished,  the  yriest  inquired  of  him  *'  whether  he  had  ever  greased  horses' 
teeth  to  prevent  their  eating  their  corn  V  this  peculiar  offence  not  having 
been  mentioned  in  his  confession.  The  ostler  declared  that  he  never 
had  ;  absolntion  was  given,  and  he  departed.  About  six  months  after« 
wards,  the  ostler  went  again  to  unload  his  conscience ;  the  former  crimes 
and  peccadilioea  were  enumerated,  but  added  to  them  were  several  ac> 
knowledgments  of  having  at  various  times  "greased  horses' teeth"  to 

frevent  their  eating  their  corn.     "  Ho — ho !"  cried  the  priest,  "  why,  if 
recollect  aright,  according  to  your  former  confession  you  had  never  been 
guilty  of  this  practice,    novi  comes  it  that  you  have  added  this  crime  to 

Jour  many  ofiiers  V     '*  May  it  please  you,  father,"  replied  the  ostler, "  I 
ad  never  heard  of  it,  until  you  told  me." 

Now  this  story  is  very  apropos  to  the  conduct  pursued  by  many  of 
these  societies  in  America :  they  must  display  to  the  public  their  statis« 
tics  of  immorality  and  vice  ;  they  must  prove  their  usefulness  by  inform" 
ing  those  who  were  quite  ignorant,  and  therefore  innocent,  that  there 
are  crimes  of  which  they  had  no  idea  ;  and  thus,  in  their  fanatic  wish  to 
improve,  they  demoralize.  Such  have  been  the  consequences  among 
this  excitable  yet  well-meaning  people.  The  author  of  "A  voice  from 
America"  observes : — 

'*  It  has  been  thought  suitable  to  call  the  attention  of  mothers  and 
daughters  over  the  wide  country  to  the  condition  and  evils  of  brothels  and 
of  common  prostitution,  in  tewns  and  cities  ;  to  send  out  agents — young 
men — to' preach  on  the  subject ;  and  to  organize  subsidiary  societies  after 
the  fashion  of  all  reforms.  The  annual  report  of  "  The  New  York  Fe- 
male Moral  Kefurm  Society"  for  183S,  (a  very  decent  name  certainly  for 
the  object),  announces  361  auxiliaries  and  20,000  members,  with  16,500 
subscribers  (all  females !)  to  the  "  Advocate  of  Moral  Reform,"  a  semi- 
monthly paper,  published  by  the  parent  society,  devoted  to  the  text  of 
the  seventh  commandment,  and  to  the  facts  and  results  growing  out  of 
its  violation.  This  same  class  of  reformers  have  heretofore  been  acces- 
tomod  to  strike  off  prints  of  the  most  unmentionable  scenes  of  these 
houses  of  pollution  in  their  naked  forms,  and  in  the  very  acts  of  crime, 
for  public  display,  that  the  public  might  know  what  they  are  :  in  othei( 


826 


■OCIST1B8  AND  ASSOCUTIOm. 


words,  as  may  be  imagined,  to  niako  sport  for  the  initiated,  to  tempt  thv 
appetites  and  passions  of  the  young,  who  otherwise  would  have  known 
little  or  nothing  about  it,  into  the  same  vortex  of  ruin,  and  to  cause  the 
decent  and  virtuous  to  turn  away  with  emotions  of  ineffable  regret." 

I  cannot  help  inqniring,  how  is  it,  if  the  Americans  are,  as  they  assert, 
both  orally  and  in  their  printed  public  documents,  a  very  moral  nation, 
that  they  find  it  necessary  to  resort  to  all  these  societies  for  the  improve- 
ment of  their  brother  citizens ;  and  how  is  it  that  their  reports  are  fulL 
of  such  unexampled  atrocities,  as  are  printed  and  circulated  in  evidence 
of  the  necessity  of  stemming  the  current  of  vice '!  The  Americans 
were  constantly  twitting  me  about  the  occasional  cases  of  adultery  and 
divorce  which  appear  in  our  newspapers,  assuring  me  at  the  same  time, 
that  there  was  hardly  ever  such  a  thing  heard  of  in  their  own  moral  com- 
munity. Now,  it  appears  that  this  subject  has  not  only  been  tiiken  up 
by  the  clergy,  (for  Dr.  Dwight,  late  president  of  Yale  College,  preached 
a  sermon  on  the  seventh  commandment,  which  an  American  author  as- 
serts "  was  heard  with  pain  and  confusion  of  face,  and  which  never  can 
be  read  in  a  p^romiscuous  circle  without  exciting  the  same  feelings  ;"}  but 
by  one  of  their  societies  also  ;  and,  although  they  have  not  assumed  the 
name  of  the  Patent  Anti-Adidlery  Society,  they  are  positively  doing  the 
work  of  such  a  one,  and  the  details  are  entered  inta  in  promiscuous  as- 
semblies without  the  least  reservation. 

The  author  before  mentioned  says  : 

*'  The  common  feelbg  on  this  subject  has  been  declared  false  delicacy ; 
and,  in  order  to  break  ground  against  its  sway,  females  have  been  forced 
into  the  van  of  this  enterprise ;  and  persuaded  to  act  as  agents,  not  only 
among  their  own  sex,  but  in  circumstances  where  they  must  necessarily 
agitate  the  subject  with  men, — not  wives  with  husbands,  which  would  be 
bad  enough,  but  young  and  single  women  with  young  and  single  men !  And 
we  have  been  credibly  informed,  that  attempts  have  been  made  to  form 
associations  among  trivcs  to  regulate  the  privileges,  and  so  attain  the  end 
of  temperance  in  the  conjugal  rtlatioru  The  next  step,  of  course,  will 
be  tee-totalism  in  this  particular  ;  and,,  as  a  consequence,  the  extinction 
of  the  human  race,,  unless  peradventure  the  failure  of  the  main  enterprise 
of  the  Moral  Reform  Society  should  keep  it  up  by  a  progeny  not  to  be 
honoured."* 

Let  it  be  remembered  that  this  is  not  a  statement  of  my  own,  but  it  is 
an  American  who  makes  the  assertion,  which  I  could  prove  to  be  true, 
might  I  publish  what  I  must  not. 

From  the  infirmity  ot  our  natures,  and  our  proneness  to  evil,  there  is 
nothing  so  corrupting  as  the  statistics  of  vice.  Can  young  females  re- 
main pure  in  then  ideas,  who  read  with  indifference  details  of  the  grossest 
Oature  1  Can  the  youth  of  a  nation  remain  uncontaminatei'.,  who  are 
continually  poring  over  pages  describing  sensuality  ;  and  willthejr  not,  in 
thfeir  desire  of  "  something  new,"  as  the  prophet  says,  tun  into  the  very 
vices  of  the  existence  of  which  they  were  before  unconscious  ]  It  is  this 
dan^rerous  running  into  extremes  which  has  occasioned  so  many  of  these 
societies  to  have  been  productive  of  much  evil.  A  Boston  editor  remarks : 
"  The.tendency  of  the  leaders  of  the  moral  and  benevolent  reforms  of  the 
day  to  run  into  fanaticism,  threatens  to  destroy  the  really  beneficial  effects 
of  all  associations  for  these  objects.  The  spirit  of  propagandism,  when 
it  becomes  over  zealous,  is  next  of  kin  to  the  spirit  of  persecution.  The 
benevolent  associations  of  the  day  are  on  the  brink  of  a  danger  that  will 
l)e  fatal  to  their  farther  usefulness  if  not  checked." 

*"  A  Voice  from  America."  ... 


•001IT1X8  AND  ASSOCIATIONS. 


m 


Of  the  Abolition  Society  and  its  tendency,  I  have  already  spoken  in  the 
chapter  on  slavery.  I  must  not,  however,  pass  over  another  which  at 
present  is  rapidly  extending  its  sway  over  the  whole  Union,  and  it  is  dif- 
ficult to  say  whether  it  does  most  harm  or  most  good — I  refer  to  the 
Temperance  Society. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Reid  says : 

"  In  the  short  space  of  its  existence,  upwards  of  seven  thousand  Tem- 
perance societies  have  been  formed,  embracing  more  than  one  million 
two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  members.  More  than  three  thousand 
distilleries  have  been  stopped,  and  more  than  seven  thousand  persons 
who  dealt  in  spirits  have  declined  the  trade.  Upwards  of  one  thousand 
vessels  have  abandoned  their  use.  And,  most  marvellous  of  all !  it  is  said 
that  above  ten  thousand  drunkards  have  been  reclaimed  from  intoxica- 
tion," And  he  adds — *'  I  really  know  of  no  one  circumstance  in  the  his- 
tory of  this  people,  or  of  any  people,  so  exhilirating  as  this.  It  discovers 
that  power  of  self-government,  which  is  the  leading  element  of  all  national 
greatness,  in  an  unexampled  degree."  Now  here  is  a  remarkable  instance 
of  a  traveller  taking  for  granted  that  what  is  reported  to  him  is  the  truth. 
The  worthy  clergyman,  nimself,  evidently  without  guile,  fully  believed  a 
statement  which  was  absurd,  from  the  simple  fact  that  only  one  side  of  the 
balance  sheet  had  been  presented. 

That  7,000  Temperance  Societies  have  been  formed  is  true.  That 
3,000  distilleries  have  stopped  from  principle  may  also  be  true  ;  but  the 
Temperance  Society  reports  take  no  notice  of  tho  many  which  have  been 
set  up  in  their  stead  by  those  who  felt  no  compunction  at  selling  spirits. 
Equally 'true  it  may  be  that  7,000  dealers  in  spirits  have  ceased  to  sell 
them ;  but  if  they  have  declined  the  trade,  others  have  taken  it  up.  That 
the  crews  of  many  vessels  have  abandoned  the  use  of  spiritous  liquors, 
is  also  the  fact,  and  that  is  the  greatest  benefit  which  has  resulted  from 
the  efforts  of  the  Temperance  Society ;  but  I  believe  the  number  to  be 
greatly  magnified.  Thai  10,000  drunkards  have  been  reclaimed — that 
is,  that  they  have  signed  papers  and  taken  the  oath — may  be  true  ;  but 
how  many  have  fallen  away  from  their  good  resolutions,  and  become 
more  intemperate  than  before,  is  not  recorded ;  nor  hoW  many  who,  pre- 
viously careless  of  liquor,  have,  out  of  pure  opposition,  and  in  defiance 
of  the  Society,  actually  become  drunkards,  is  also  unknown.  In  thid 
Society,  as  in  the  Abolition  Society,  they  have  canvassed  for  legislative 
enactments,  and  have  succeeded  in  obtaining  them.  The  legislature  of 
Massachusetts,  which  state  is  the  stronghold  of  the  society,  passed  an 
act  hst  year  by  which  it  prohibited  the  selling  of  spirits  in  a  smaller 
quantity  than  fifteen  gallons,  intending  thereby  to  do  away  with  the  means 
of  dram-drinking  at  the  groceries,  as  they  are  termed  ;"a  clause,  how- 
ever, permitted  apothecaries  to  retail  smaller  quantities,  and  the  conse.> 
quence  was  that  all  the  grog-shops  commenced  taking  out  apothecaries' 
licences.  That  being  stopped,  the  striped  piff  was  resorted  to  :  that  is 
to  say,  a  man  charged  people  the  value  of  a  glass  of  liquor  to  see  a 
striped  pig,  which  peculiarity  was  exhibited  as  a  c'ght,  and,  when  in  the 
house,  the  visiters  were  offered  a  glass  of  spirits  fcr  no.hing.  But  this 
act  of  the  legislature  has  given  great  offence,  and  the  state  of  Massa- 
chusetts is  now  divided  into  two  very  strange  political  parties,  to  wit, 
the  topers  and  the  teetotalers.  It  is  asserted  that,  in  the  political  contest 
which  is  to  take  place,  the  topers  will  be  victorious  ;  an&  if  so,  it  will  be 
satisfactorily  proved  that,  in  the  very  enlightened  and  moral  state  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, the  pattern  of  tho  Union,  there  are  more  intemperate  than 
sober  men.  '-         \     .       ■      ,,       -, 


^l 


tt8 


gOCIKTIIf  AND  ASIOCUTIONB. 


In  this  dispute  between  sobriety  and  inebriety  the  clergy  have  not  been 
idle :  some  denouncing  alcohol  from  the  pulpit ;  some,  on  the  other  hand 
denouncingthe  Temperance  Societies  as  not  beingphristians.  Among  the 
tetter  the  Bishop  of  Vermont  has  led  the  van.  In  one  of  his  works, 
"  The  Primitive  Church,"  he  asserts  that — 

"  The  Temperance  Society  is  not  based  upon  religious,  but  worldly 
principles.  «. 

"  liiat  it  opposes  vice  and  attempts  to  establish  virtue  in  a  manner 
which  is  not  in  accordance  with  the  word  of  Qod,"  &c.  dec. 

His  argument  is  briefly  this : — The  Scriptures  forbid  drunkenness.  If 
the  people  will  not  do  right  in  obedience  to  the  word  of  God,  but  only 
from  the  fear  of  public  opinion,  they  show  more  respect  to  man  than 
God. 

The  counter  argument  is  t— -The  Bible  prohibits  many  other  crimes, 
such  as  murder^  theft,  dice. ;  but  if  there  were  not  punishments  for  these 
ofrences*agreedupoif  by  society,  the  fear  of  God  would  not  prevent  these 
crimes  from  being  committed. 

That  in  the  United  States  public  opinion  has  more  influence  than  reli- 
gion I  believe  to  be  the  case ;  and  that  in  all  countries  present  punish- 
ment is  more  to  be  considered  than  future  is,  I  fear,  equally  true.  But 
i  do  not  pretend  to  decide  the  question,  which  has  occasioned  great  ani- 
mosities, and  on  some  occasions,  I  am  informed,  the  dismissd  of  ^cler- 
gymen fiam  their  churches. 

The  tee-totalers  have  carried  their  tenets  to  a  length  which  threatens 
to  invade  the  rites  of  the  church,  for  a  portion  of  mem,  calling  them- 
selves the  Total  Abstinence  Society,  will  not  use  any  wine  which  has 
alcohol  in  it  in  taking  the  sacrament,  and  as  there  is  no  wine  without  a 
portion  of  alcohol,  they  have  invented  a  harmless  mixture  which  they  call 
yffixte.  Unfortunately^  many  of  these  Temperance  Societies  in  their  zeal, 
will  admit  of  no  medium -party — ^you  must  either  abstain  altogether,  or 
be  put  down  as  a  toper. 

It  is  astonishing  how  obstinate  some  people  are,  and  how  great  is  the 
diversity  of  opinion.  I  have  heard  many  anecdotes  relative  to  this  ques- 
tion. A  man  who  indulged  freely  was  recmmended  to  join  the  society — 
*'  Now,"  said  the  minister,  "  you  must  allow  that  there  is  nothing  so 
good,  so  valuable  to  man  as  water.  What  is  the  first  thing  you  call  for 
m  sickness  but  water?  What  else  can  cool  your  parched  tongue  lik? 
water  *?  What  did  the  rich  man  ask  for  when  in  fiery  tonnents  1  What 
does  the  wretch  ask  for  when  on  the  rack  1  You  cannot  always  drink 
spirits,*but  water  you  can.  Water  costs  nothing,  and  you  save  your 
money.  Water  never  intoxicates,  or  prevents  you  from  going  to  your 
work.  There  is  nothing  like  water.  Come,  now,  Peter,  let  me  hear 
your  opinion." 

"  Well,  then,  sir,  I  think  water  is  very  good,  vjry  excellent  indeed — 
for  navigation." 

An  old  Dutchman,  who  kept  an  inn  at  Hoboken,  had  long  resisj^ed 
the  attacks  of  the  Temperance  Societies,  until  one  night  he  happened 
to  cet  so  very  drunk,  that  he  actually  signed  the  paper  and  took  the 
oath.  The  next  morning  he  was  made  acquainted  with  what  he  had 
unconsciously  done,  and,  much  to  the  surprise  of  his  friends,  he  replied, 
*'  Well,  if  I  have  signed  and  haye  sworn,  as  you  tell  me  I  have,  I  must 
keep  to  my  word,"  and  from  that  hour  the  old  fellow  abstained  altogether 
from  his  favourite  schnapps.  But  the  leaving  off  a  habit  which  had  be- 
come necessary  had  tte  usual  result.    The  old  man  took  to  his  bed,  and 


#^ 


ilOClBTIES   AND  A880CUTIONS. 


at  last  became  seriously  ill.  A  medical  man  was  called  in,  and  when  he 
was  informed  of  what  had  occurred,  perceived  the  necessity  of  some 
stimulus,  and  ordered  that  his  patient  should  take  one  ounce  of  French 
brandy  every  day. 

"  An  ounce  of  French  brandy,"  said  the  old  Dutchman,  looking  at  the 

Erescription.  "  Well,  dat  is  goot ;  but  how  much  is  an  ounce  1"  Ne- 
edy who  was  present  could  inform  him.  "  I  know  what  a  quart,  a  pint, 
or  a  gill  of  brandy  is,"  said  the  Dutchman,  "but  I  never  yet  have  had  a 
customer  call  for  an  ounce.  Well,  my  son,  go  to  the  schoolmaster ;  he 
is  a  learned  man,  and  tell  him  I  wish  to  know  how  much  is  one  ounce." 

The  message  was  carried.  The  schoolmaster,  occupied  with  his  pu- 
pils, and  not  liking  the  interruption,  hastily,  and  without  farther  inquiries 
of  the  messenger,  turned  over  his  Bonnycastle,  and  arriving  at  the  table 
of  avoirdupois  weight,  replied,  "  Tell  your  father  that  sixteen  drams  make 
an  ounce." 

The  boy  took  back  the  message  correctly,  and  when  the  old  Dutchman 
heard  it,  his  countenance  brightened  up—"  A  goot  physician,  a  clever 
man — I  only  have  drank  twelve  drams  a-day,  and  he  tells  me  to  take  six. 
teen.  I  have  taken  one  oath  when  I  was  drunk,  and  I  keep  it ;  now  dat 
I  am  sober  I  take  anoder,  which  is,  I  will  be  very  sick  for  de  remainder 
of  my  days,  and  never  throw  my  physic  out  of  window." 

There  was  a  cold  water  celebration  at  Boston,  on  which  occasion  the 
hilarity  of  the  evening  was  increased  by  the  singing  of  the  following  ode. 
Nobody  will  venture  to  assert  that  there  is  any  spirit  in  the  composition, 
and,  judging  from  what  I  have  seen  of  American  manners  and  customs, 
I  am  afraid  that  the  sentiments  of  the  last  four  lines  will  not  be  responded 
to  throughout  the  Union. 

"  Ode. 

In  Eden's  green  letreats 

A  water-brook  that  played 
Between  soft,  and  mossy  seats 
Beneath  a  plane-tree's  shade, 

Whose  rustling  leaves 
Danced  o'er  its  brink, 
Was  Adam's  drink. 
And  also  Eve's. 

Beside  the  patent  spring 

Of  that  young  brook,  the  pair 
Their  morning  chaunt  would  sing ; 
And  Eve,  to  dress  her  hair. 

Kneel  on  the  grass 
That  fringed  its  side, 
.'/  And  made  its  tide 

Her  looking-glass. 

And  when  the  man  of  God 

From  Egypt  led  his  flock. 
They  thirsted,  and  his  rod 

Smote  the  Arabian  rock,  .      ' 

And  forth  a  rill 
Of  water  gushed, 
And  on  thev  rushed, 
And  drank  their  fill.  - 

20  V    ^■ 


V 


\*» 


330 


lAW. 


Would  Eden  thus  have  smil'd 

H^d  wine  to  Eden  come  7 
Would  Horeb's  parching  wild 
Have  been  refreshed  with  rum  ? 

And  had  Eve's  hair 
Been  dressed  in  gin, 

Would  she  have  been  , 

Reflected  fair? 

Had  Moses  built  a  still 

And  dealt  out  to  that  host, 
To  every  man  his  gill, 
And  pledged  him  in  a  toast. 

How  large  a  band 
Of  Israel's  sons 
Had  laid  their  bones 
In  Canaan's  land  ? 

'  Sweet  fields,  bevond  DeiUh's  flood, 

'  Stand  dressed  in  living  green,' 
For,  from  the  throne  of  God, 
To  freshen  all  the  scene, 

A  river  rolls, 
Where  all  who  will 
May  come  and  fill 
'Their  crystal  bowls. 

If  Eden's  strength  and  bloom 

Cold  water  thus  hath  given-^ 
If  e'en  beyond  the  tomb. 
It  is  the  drink  of  heaven — 

Are  not  good  wells, 
And  crystal  springs, 
The  very  things 
For  our  hotels  ?" 

As  I  shall  return  to  the  subject  of  intemperance  in  my  examination  oi 
society,  I  shall  conclude  this  chapter  with  an  extract  from  Miss  Marti- 
neau,  whose  work  is  a  strange  compound  of  the  false  and  the  true  : — "  My 
oim  convictions  are,  that  associations,  excellent  as  they  aie  for  mechani- 
cal objects,  are  not  fit  instruments  for  the  achievement  of  moral  aims : 
that  there  has  been  no  proof  that  the  principle  of  self-restraint  has  been 
exalted  and  strengthened  in  the  United  States  by  the  Temperance  move- 
ment, while  the  already  too  great  regard  to  opinion,  and  subservience  to 
spiritual  encroachment,  have  been  much  increased  ;  and,  therefore,  great 
as  may  be  the  visible  benefits  of  the  institution,  it  may  at  length  appear 
that  they  have  been  dearly  purchased." 

4 

LAW. 

The  lawyers  are  the  real  aristocracy  of  America ;  they  comprehend 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  gentility,  talent,  and  liberal  information  of  the 
Union.  Any  one  who  has  had  the  pleasure  of  being  at  one  of  their  meet- 
ings, such  as  the  Kent  Club  at  New  York,  would  be  satisfied  that  there 
is  no  want  of  gentlemen  with  enlightened  liberal  ideas  in  the  United 
States  ;  but  it  is  to  the  law,  the  navy,  and  the  army,  that  you  must 
chiefly  look  for  this  class  of  people.  Such  must  ever  be  the  case  in  a 
democracy,  where  the  mass  are  to  be  led  ;  the  knowledge  of  the  laws  of 
the  country,  and  the  habit  of  public  speaking  being  essential  to  those  who 


-wm' 


LAW. 


831 


would  reside  at  the  helm  or  assist  in  the  evolutions :  the  consequence 
has  been,  that  in  every  era  of  the  Union,  the  lawyers  have  always  been 
the  most  prominent  actors ;  and  it  may  be  added  that  they  ever  will  play 
the  most  distinguished  parts.  Clay  and  Webster  of  the  present  day  are, 
and  all  the  leadmg  men  of  the  former  generation  were,  lawyers.  Their 
presidents  have  almost  all  been  lawyers,  and  any  deviation  from  this  cus- 
tom has  been  attended  with  evil  results ;  witness  the  elevation  of  General 
Jackson  to  the  presidency,  and  the  heavy  price  which  the  Americans 
have  paid  for  their  phantom  glory.  The  names  of  Judge  Marshall  and 
of  Chancellor  Kent  are  well  known  in  this  country,  and  most  deservedly 
so  :  indeed  I  am  informed  it  has  latterly  been  the  custom  in  our  own  law 
courts,  to  cite  as  cases  the  decisions  of  many  of  the  superior  American 
judges — a  just  tribute  to  their  discrimination  and  their  worth. 

Th^  general  arrangement  of  that  part  of  the  American  constitution  re> 
lating  to  the  judicature  is  extremely  good,  perhaps  the  best  of  all  their 
legislative  arrangements,  yet  it  contains  some  great  errors ;  one  of  which 
is,  that  of  district  and  inferior  judges  being  elected,  as  it  leaves  the  judge 
at  the  mercy  of  an  excitable  and  overbearing  people,  who  will  attempt  to 
dictate  to  him  as  they  do  to  their  spiritual  teacher.  Occasionally  he 
must  choose  whether  he  will  decide  as  they  wish,  or  lose  his  situation  on 
the  ensuing  election.  Justice  as  well  as  religion  will  be  interfered  with 
by  the  despotism  of  the  democracy. 

^  The  Americans  are  fond  of  law  in  one  respect,  that  is,  they  are  fond 
of  going  to  law.  It  is  excitement  to  them,  and  not  so  expensive  as  in 
this  country.  It  is  a  pleasure  which  Ihey  can  afford,  and  for  which  they 
cheerfully  pay. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  the  very  first  object  of  the  Americans,  after  a 
law  has  been  passed,  is  to  find  out  how  they  can  evade  it ;  this  exercises 
theur  ingenuity,  a.  4  it  is  very  amusing  to  observe  how  cleverly  they  some- 
times manage  it.  Every  state  enactment  to  uphold  the  morals,  or  for  the 
better  regulation  of  society,  is  inunediately  opposed  by  the  sovereign, 
people. 

An  act  was  passed  to  prohibit  the  playing  of  nine  pins,  (a  very  foolish 
act,  as  the  Americans  have  so  few  amusements) :  as  soon  as  the  law 
was  put  in  force,  it  was  notified  everywhere,  "  Ten  pins  played  here,'* 
and  they  have  been  played  everywhere,  ever  since. 

Another  act  was  passed  to  put  down  billiard  tables,  and  in  this  instance 
every  precaution  was  taken  by  an  accurate  description  of  the  billiard 
table,  that  the  law  might  be  enforced.  Whereupon  an  extra  pocket  was 
added  to  the  billiard  table,  and  thus  the  law  was  evaded. 

When  I  was  at  Louisville,  a  bill  which  had  been  brought  in  by  con- 
gress, to  prevent  the  numerous  accidents  which  occurred  m  steam  navi- 
gation, came  into  force.  Inspectors  were  appointed  to  see  that  the 
steam-boats  complied  with  the  regulations  ;  and  those  boats  which  were 
not  provided  according  to  law,  did  not  receive  the  certificate  from  the 
inspectors,  and  were  liable  to  a  fine  of  five  hundred  dollars  if  they  navi- 
gated without  it.  A  steam-boat  was  ready  to  start;  the  passengers 
clubbed  together  and  subscribed  half  the  sum,  (two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars),  and,  as  the  informer  was  to  have  half  the  penalty,  the  captain 
of  the  boat  went  and  informed  against  himself  and  received  the  other 
half;  and  thus  was  the  fine  paid. 

At  Baltimore,  in  consequence  of  the  prevalence  of  hydrophobia,  the 
civic  authorities  passed  a  law,  that  all  dogs  should  be  muzzled,  or,  rather, 
the  terms  were,   "  that  all  dogs  should  wear  a  muzzle,"  or  the  owner  of 


SM 


tkyr. 


a  dog,  not  wearing  y.  muzzle,  should  be  brought  up  and  fined  ;  and  the 
regulation  farther  stated,  that  anybody  convicted  of  having  "  removed|tho 
muzzle  from  off  a  dog  should  also  be  severely  fined."  A  man,  there- 
fore, tied  a  muzzle  to  his  dog's  tail  (the  act  not  stating  where  the  muzzle 
was  to  be  placed).  One  of  the  city  officers,  perceiving  this  dog  with 
his  muzzle  at  the  wrong  end,  took  possession  of  the  dog  and  brought  it 
to  the  V>vvta-haU;  its  master  being  well  known,  was  summoned,  and 
appeared.  JHe  proved  that  he  had  complied  with  the  act,  in  having  fixed 
a  muzzle  oil  the  dog ;  and,  farther,  the  city  officer  having  taken  the  muzzle 
off  the  dog's  tail,  he  insisted  that  he  should  be  fined  five  dollars  for  so 
doing. 

The  striped  pig,  I  have  already  mentioned  ;  but  were  I  to  relate  all  I 
have  been  told  upon  this  head,  it  would  occupy  too  much  of  the  reader's 
time  and  patience. 

The  mass  of  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  have  certainly  a  very 
great  dislike  to  all  law  except  their  own,  i,  e.  the  decision  of  the  ma- 
jority ;  and  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  it  is  not  only  the  principle  of 
equality,  but  the  parties  who  are  elected  as  district  judges,  that,  by  their 
own  conduct,  contribute  much  to  that  want  of  respect  with  which  they 
are  treated  in  their  courts.  When  a  judge  on  his  bench  sits  half  asleep, 
with  his  hat  on,  and  his  coat  and  shoes  off ;  his  heels  kicking  upon  the 
railing  or  table  which  is  as  high  or  higher  than  his  head ;  his  toes  peeping 
through  a  pair  of  old  worsted  stockings,  and  with  a  huge  quid  nf  tobacco* 
in  his  cheek,  you  cannot  expect  that  much  respect  will  be  paid  to  him. 
Yet  such  is  even  now  the  practice  in  the  interior  of  the  western  states. 
I  was  much  amused  at  reading  an  English  critique  upon  a  work  by  Judge 
Hall,  (a  district  judge,)  in  which  the  writer  says,  *'  We  can  imagine  his 
honour  in  all  the  solemnity  of  his  flowing  wig,"  &c.  &c.  The  last 
time  I  saw  his  honour  he  was  cashier  to  a  bank  at  Cincinnati,  thumbing 
American  bank-notes — dirtier  work  than  is  ever  practised  in  the  lowest 
grade  of  the  law,  as  any  one  would  say  if  he  had  ever  had  any  American 
bank-notes  in  his  possession. 

As  may  be  supposed,  in  a  new  country  like  America,  many  odd  scenes 
take  place.  In  the  towns  in  the  interior,  a  lawyer's  office  is  generally 
a  small  wooden  house,  of  one  room,  twelve  feet  square,  built  of  clap- 
boards, and  with  the  door  wide  open ;  and  the  little  domicile  with  its 
tenant  used  to  remind  me  of  a  spider  in  its  web  waiting  for  flies. 

Not  forty  years  back,  on  the  other  side  of  the  Alleghany  mountains, 
deer  skins  at  forty  cents  per  pound,  and  the  furs  of  other  animals  at  a 
settled  price,  were  legal  tenders,  and  received  both  by  judges  and  law- 
yers as  fees.  The  lawyers  in  the  towns  on  the  banks  of  the  Susquehar- 
nah,  where  it  appears  the  people,  (notwithstanding  Campbell's  beautiful 
description,)  were  extremely  litigious,  used  to  receive  all  their  fees  in 
kind,  such  as  skins,  corn,  whiskey,  &c.  &c.,  and  as  soon  as  they  had 
suflicient  to  load  a  raft,  were  to  be  seen  gliding  down  the  river  to  dis- 
pose of  their  cargo  at  the  first  favourable  mart  for  produce.  Had  they 
worn  the  wigs  and  gown  of  our  own  legal  profession,  the  effect  would 
hare  been  more  picturesque. 

There  is  a  record  of  a  very  curious  trial  which  occurred  in  the  state 
of  New  York.  A  man  had  lent  a  large  iron  kettle,  or  boiler,  to  another, 
and  it  being  returned  cracked,  an  action  was  brought  against  the  bor- 
rower for  the  value  of  the  kettle.  After  the  plaintifTs  case  had  been 
heard,  the  counsel  for  the  defendant  rose  and  said — "  Mister  Judge,  we 
defend  this  action  upon  three  counts,  all  of  which  we  shall  most  satis- 
factorily prove  to  you. 


LAW. 


838 


"  In  the  first  place,  we  will  prove,  by  undoubted  evidence,  tiiat  the 
kettle  was  cracked  when  we  borrowed  it ; 

"  In  the  second,  that  the  kettle,  when  we  returned  it,  was  whole  and 
sound ; 

"  And  in  the  third,  we  will  prove  that  we  never  borrowed  the  kettle 
at  all." 

There  is  such  a  thing  as  proving  too  much,  but  one  thing  is  pretty 
fairly  proved  in  this  case,  which  is,  that  the  defendant'^  ooaasel  must) 
have  originally  descended  from  the  Milesian  stock.  ' 

I  have  heard  many  amusing  stories  of  the  peculiar  eloquence  of  the- 
lawyers  in  the  newly  settled  western  states,  where  metaphor  is  so  abuo" 
dant.  One  lawyer  was  so  extremely  metaphorical  upon  an  occasion, 
when  the  stealing  of  a  pig  was  the  case  in  point,  that  at  last  he  got  to 
"  corruscating  rays."     The  judge  (who  appeared  equally  metaphorical 

himself)  thought  proper  to  pull  him  up  by  saying — "  Mr.  ,  I  wislv 

you  would  take  the  feathers  from  the  wings  of  your  imagination,  and  put 
them  into  the  tail  of  your  judgment." 

Extract  from  an  American  paper : — 

"  Scene. — A  court-house  not  fifty  miles  from  the  city  of  Louisville — 
Judge  presiding  with  great  dignity — A  noise  is  heard  before  the  door- 
He  looks  up,  fired  with  indignation.  *■  Mr.  sheriff,  sir,  bring  them  men 
in  here  ;  this  in  the  temple  of  libarty — this  in  the  sanctuary  of  justice, 
and  it  shall  not  be  profaned  by  the  cracking  of  nuts  and  the  eating  of  gin- 
gerbread.'  " — Marblehead  Register. 

I  have  already  observed  that  there  is  a  great  error  in  the  ofHce  of  the 
inferior  and  district  judges  being  elective,  but  there  are  others  equally 
serious.  In  the  first  place  the  judges  are  not  sufficiently  paid.  Captain 
Hamilton  remarks — 

"  The  low  salaries  of  the  judges  constitute  matter  of  general  complaint, 
among  the  members  of  the  bar,  both  at  Philadelphia  and  New  York. 
These  are  so  inadequate,  when  compared  with  the  income  of  a  well-, 
employed  barrister,  that  the  state  is  deprived  of  the  advantage  of  having- 
the  highest  legal  talent  on  the  bench.  Men  from  the  lower  walks  of  the 
profession,  therefore,  are  generally  promoted  to  the  office ;  and  for  the 
•ake  of  a  wretched  saving  of  a  few  thousand  dollars,  the  public  are  con- 
tent to  submit  their  lives  and  properties  to  the  decision  of  men  of  inferior 
intelligence  and  learning. 

"  In  one  respect,  I  am  told,  the  very  excess  of  democracy  defeats 
itself.  In  some  states  the  judges  are  so  inordinately  underpaid,  that  no 
lawyer  who  does  not  possess  a  considerable  private  fortune  can  afford  to, 
accept  the  office.  From  this  circumstance,  something  of  aristocratic  disi 
tinction  has  become  connected  with  it,  and  a  seat  on  the  bench  is  now 
more  greedily  coveted  than  it  would  be  were  the  salary  more  commensu- 
rate with  the  duties  of  the  situation." 

The  next  error  is,  that  political  questions  are  permitted  to  interfere 
with  the  ends  of  justice.  It  is  a  well-known  fact  that,  not  long  ago,  an 
Irishman,  who  had  murdered  his  wife,  was  brought  to  trial  upon  the  eve 
of  an  election ;  and,  although  his  guilt  was  undoubted,  he  was  acquitted, 
because  the  Irish  party,  which  were  so  influential  as  to  be  able  to  turn 
the  election,  had  declared  that,  if  their  countryman  was  convicted,  they 
would  vote  on  the  other  side. 

But  worst  of  all  is  the  difficulty  of  find'ng  an  honest  jury — a  fact  gene- 
rally acknowledged.  Politics,  private  animosities,  bribery,  all  have  their 
influence  to  defeat  the  ends  of  justice,  and  it  argues  strongly  against  the 

80* 


s.n 


Mi 


IkVf. 


moral  standard  of  a  nation  that  luch  should  be  the  case ;  but  that  it  is  so 
is  undoubted.*  The  truth  is  that  the  juries,  have  no  respect  for  the 
judges,  however  respectable  ihey  may  be,  and  as  many  of  them  really  are. 
The  leeliii^  "  Pm  as  good  as  he"  operates  everywhere.  There  is  no 
ithutting  up  a  jury  and  starving  them  out  as  with  us ;  no  citizen,  "  free 
and  enlightened,  aged  twenty-one,  white,"  would  submit  to  such  an  in- 
vasion  of  his  rights.     Captain  Hamilton  observes — 

"  It  was  .not  without  astonishment,  I  confess,  that  I  remarked  that 
three- fourtnb  of  the  jury-men  were  engaged  in  eating  bread  and  cheese, 
and  that  the  foreman  actually  announced  the  verdict  with  his  mouth  full, 
ejecting  the  disjointed  syllables  during  the  intervals  of  mastication !  In 
truth,  an  American  seems  to  look  on  a  judge  exactly  as  he  does  on  a 
carpenter  or  coppersmith ;  and  it  never  occurs  to  him,  that  an  adminis- 
trator of  justice  is  entitled  to  greater  respect  than  a  constructor  of  brass 
knockers,  or  the  sheather  of  a  ship's  bottom.  The  judge  and  the  brazier 
are  paid  equally  for  their  work ;  and  Jonathan  firmly  believes  that,  while 
he  has  money  in  his  pocket,  there  is  no  risk  of  suffering  from  the  want 
either  of  law  or  warming  pans." 

One  most  notorious  case  of  bribery,  I  can  vouch  for,  as  I  am  acquainted 
with  the  two  parties,  one  of  whom  purchased  the  snuff-box  in  which  the 
other  enclosed  the  notes  and  presented  to  the  jurymen.  A  gentlemen  at 
New  York  of  the  name  of  Stoughton,  hr  a  a  quarrel  with  another  of  the 
name  of  Goodwin :  the  latter  followed  the  former  down  the  street,  and 
murdered  him  in  open  day  by  passing  a  small  sword  through  his  body. 
The  case  was  as  clear  as  a  case  could  be,  but  there  is  a  great  dislike  to 
capital  punishment  in  America,  and  particularly  was  there  in  this  instance, 
as  the  criminal  was  of  good  family  and  extensive  connections.  It  was 
ascertained  that  all  the  jury  except  two  intended  to  acquit  the  prisoner 
upon  some  pretended  want  of  evidence,  but  that  these  two  had  deter- 
mined that  the  law  should  take  its  course,  and  were  quite  inexorable. 
Before  the  jury  retired  to  consult  upon  the  verdict,  it  was  determined  by 
the  friends  of  the  prisoner  that  an  attempt  should  be  made  by  bribery  to 
soften  down  the  resolution  of  these  two  men.  As  they  were  retiring, 
a  snuff-box  was  put  into  the  hands  of  one  of  them  by  a  gentleman,  with 
the  observation  that  he  and  his  friend  would  probably  find  a  pinch  of 
snuff  agreeable  after  so  long  a  trial.  The  snuff-box  contained  bank  notes 
to  tb|B  amount  of  2,600  dollars,  [500/.  sterling.}  The  snuff-box  and  its 
eontents  were  not  returned,  and  the  prisoner  was  acquitted. 

The  unwillingness  to  take  away  life  is  a  very  remarkable  feature  in 
America,  and  were  it  not  carried  to  such  an  extreme  length,  would  be  a 
▼eiy  commendable  one.  An  instance  of  this  occurred  just  before  my  ar- 
rival at  New  York.  A  young  man  by  the  name  of  Robinson,  who  was  a 
elerk  in  an  importing  house,  had  formed  a  connection  with  a  young  wo- 
man on  the  town,  of  the  name  of  Ellen  Jewitt.  Not  having  the  means  to 
meet  her  demands  upon  his  purse,  he  had  for-  many  months  embezzled 
frota  the  store  goods  to  a  very  large  amount,  which  she  had  sold  to  sup- 
ply her  wants  or  wishes.  At  last,  Robinson,  probably  no  longer  caring 
for  the  girl,  and  aware  that  he  was  in  her  power,  determined  upon  mur- 
dering her.  Such  accumulated  crime  can  hardly  be  conceived !  He 
went  to  sleep  with  her,  made  her  drunk  with  champaign  before  they  re- 
tired to  bed,  and  then,  as  she  lay  in  bed,  murdered  her  with  an  axe,  which 

♦  Miss  Martineau,  speaking  of  the  jealousy  between  the  Americans  and  the 
French  Creoles,  says — "No  American  expects  to  get  a  verdict,  on  any  ew- 
ij«nc«,  from  a  jury  of  French  Creoles."  , 


tJLW, 


9M 


he  had  brousht  with  him  from  his  master's  store.     The  house  of  ill- 
fame  in  which  he  visited  her,  was  at  that  time  full  of  other  people  of  both 
sexes,  who  had  retired  to  rest— >it  is  said  nearly  one  hundred  were  there 
on  that'hight,  thoughtless  of  the  danger  to  which  they  were  exposed  ; 
fearful  that  the  murder  of  the  young  woman  would  be  discovered  and 
brought  home  to  him,  the  miscreant  resolved  to  set  fire  to  the  house, 
and  by  thus  sending  unprepared  into  the  next  world  so  many  of  his  fel< 
low-creatures,  escape  the  punishment  which  he  deserved.    He  set  fire  to 
the  bed  upon  which  his  unfortunate  victim  laid,  and  having  satisfied  him^ 
self  that  his  work  was  securely  done,  locked  the  door  of  the  room,  and 
quitted  the  premises.     A  merciful  Providence,  however,  directed  other- 
wise ;  the  fire  was  discovered,  and  the  flames  extinguished,  and  his 
crime  made  manifest.    The  evidence  in  an  English  court  would  have 
been  more  than  sufficient  to  convict  him;  but  in  America  such  is  the 
feeling  against  taking  life  that,  strange  to  say,  Robinson  was  acquitted, 
anQ  permitted  to  leave  for  Texas,  where  it  is  said  he  still  lives  under  a 
false  name.     I  have  heard  this  subject  canvassed  over  and  over  again 
in  New  York  ;  and,  although  some,  with  a  view  of  extenuating  to  a  fo- 
reigner such  a  disgraceful  disregard  to  security  of  life,  have  endeavoured 
to  show  that  the  evidence  was  not  quite  satisfactory,  there  really  was  not 
a  shadow  of  doubt  in  the  whole  case.* 

But  leniency  towards  crime  is  the  grand  characteristic  of  American 
legislation.  Whether  it  proceeds,  (as  I  much  suspect  it  does,)  from  the 
national  vanity  being  unwilling  to  admit  that  such  things  can  take  plac^ 
among  "  a  very  moral  people,"  or  from  a  more  praiseworthy  feeling,  I  am 
not  justified  in  asserting  :  the  reader  must  form  his  own  opinion,  when 
he  has  read  all  I  have  to  say  upon  other  points  connected  with  the 
subject. 

I  have  been  very  much  amused  with  the  reports  of  sentences  given 
by  my  excellent  friend  the  recorder  of  New  York.  He  is  said  to  be  one 
of  the  soundest  lawyers  in  the  Un>3n,  and  a  very  worthy  man ;  but  I 
must  say,  that  as  recorder,  he  does  not  add  to  the  dignity  of  the  bench 
by  his  facetious  remarks,  and  the  peculiar  lenity  be  occasionally  shows  to 
the  culprits,  t 

I  will  give  an  extract  from  the  newspapers  of  some  of  the  proceedings 
in  his  court,  as  they  will,  I  am  convinced,  be  as  amusing  to  the  reader  as 
they  have  been  to  me. 

'  The  Recorder  then  called  out — "  Mr.  Crier,  make  the  usual  proclama- 
tion ;"  "  Mr.  Clerk  call  out  the  prisoners,  and  let  ua  proceed  tO^sen- 
tencing  them  !"  '   ' 

Clerk.     Put  Stephen  Schofield  to  the  bar. 

It  was  done. 

Clerk.  Prisoner,  you  may  remember  you  have  heretofore  been  in- 
dicted for  a  certain  crime  by  you  committed  ;  upon  your  indictment  you 
were  arraigned ;  upon  your  arraignment  you  pleaded  guilty,  and  threw 
yourself  upon  the  mercy  of  the  court.  What  have  you  now  to  say,  why 
judgment  should  not  be  passed  upon  you  according  to  law. 

-  *  America  though  little  more  than  sixty  years  old  as  a  nation,  has  already 

Eublished  an  United  States'  Criminal  Calendar  (Boston,  1835.)    1  have  this* 
ook  in  my  possession,  and,  although  in  number  of  criminals  it  is  not  quite 
equal  to  our  Newgate  Calendar,  it  far  exceeds  it  in  atrocity  of  crime. 

t  Some  allowance  must  be  made  for  the  license  of  the  reporters,  but  in  the 
main  it  is  a  very  fair  specimen  of  the  recorder's  style  and  language. 


138 


LAW. 


The  prisoner,  Vrho  was  a  bad-lookln|(  mulatto,  was  silent. 

Recorder.  Schofield,  you  have  been  convicted  of  a  very  bad  crime  ; 
you  attempted  to  take  liberties  with  a  young  white  girl — a  most  serious 
offence.  This  is  getting  to  be  a  very  bad  crime,  and  practised,  I  am 
sorry  to  say,  to  a  great  extent  in  this  community  :  it  must  be  put  a  stop 
to.  Had  you  been  convicted  of  the  whole  crime,  we  should  have  sent 
you  to  the  state-prison  for  life.  As  it  is,  we  sentence  you  to  hard  labour 
in  the  state-prison  at  Sing  Sing  for  five  yearu ;  and  that's  the  judgment 
of  the  court ;  and  when  you  come  out,  take  no  more  liberties  with  white 
girls. 

Prisoner.    Thank  your  honor  it  ain't  no  worse. 

Clerk.    Bring  out  Mary  Burns. 

It  was  done. 

Clerk.  Prisoner,  you  may  remember,  &c.  &c.,  upon  your  arraignment 
you  pleaded  not  guilty,  and  put  yourself  on  your  country  for  trial ;  which 
country  hath  found  you  guilty.  What  have  you  now  to  say  why  judg* 
ment  should  not  be  pronounced  upon  you  according  to  law  1 

(Silent.) 

Recorder,    Mary  Burns,  Mrs.  Forgay  gave  you  her  chemise  to  wash. 

Prisoner.     No  she  didn't  give  it  to  me. 

Recorder.  But  you  got  it  somehow,  and  you  stole  the  money.  Now, 
you  see  our  respectable  fellow-citizens,  the  ladies,  must  have  their  che- 
mises washed,  and,  to  do  so,  they  must  put  contidence  in  their  servants ; 
and  they  have  a  right  to  sew  their  money  up  in  their  chemise  if  they 
think  i>voper,  and  servants  must  not  steal  it  from  them.  "^^  As  you're  a 
young  woman,  and  not  married,  it  would  not  be  right  to  deprive  you  of 
the  opportunity  to  get  a  husband  for  five  years ;  so  we  shall  only  send 
you  to  Sing  Smg  for  two  years  and  six  months  :  the  keeper  will  work 
you  in  whatever  way  he  may  think  proper — Go  to  the  next. 

Charles  Listen  was  brought  out  and  arraigned,  pro  forma.  He  was  a 
dark  negro. 

Clerk.     Listen,  what  have  you  to  say  why  judgment,  &c.  1 

Prisoner.  All  I  got  to  say  to  his  hononr  de  honourable  court  is,  dat  I 
see  de  error  of  my  ways,  and  I  hope  dey  may  soon  see  de  error  of  deirs. 
I  broke  de  law  of  my  free  country,  and  I  must  lose  my  liberty,  and  go  to 
Sing  Sing.  But  I  trow  myself  on  de  mercy  of  de  Recorder  ;  and  all  I 
got  to  say  to  his  honour  de  honourable  Richard  Riker,  is,  dat  I  hope 
he'll  live  to  be  the  next  mayor  of  New  York  till  I  come  out  of  Sing  Sing. 

Recorder  (laughing.)  A  very  good  speech  !  But,  Listen,  whether  I'm 
mayor  or  not,  you  must  suffer  some.  This  stealing  from  entries  is  a 
most  pernicious  crime,  and  one  against  which  our  respectable  fellow- 
Citizens  can  scarcely  guard.  Two-thirds  of  our  citizens  hang  their  hats 
and  coats  in  entries,  and  we  must  protect  their  hats  and  coats.  We 
therefore  sentence  you  to  Sing  Sing  for  five  ypars — Go  to  the  next. 

John  McDonald  and  Godfrey  Crawluck  were  put  to  the  bar. 

Recorder.  McDonald  and  Crawluck,  you  stole  two  beeves.  Now 
however  much  I  like  beef,  I'd  be  very  hungry  before  I'd  steal  my  beef. 
You  are  on  the  high  road  to  ruin.  You  went  up  the  road  to  Harlem, 
•xnd  down  the  road  to  Yorkville,  and  you'll  soon  go  to  destruction.  We 
shall  send  you  to  Sing  Sing  for  two  years  each ;  and  when  you  come 
out,  take  your  mother's  maiden  name,  and  lead  a  good  life,  and  don't 
eat  any  more  beef — I  mean,  don't  steal  any  more  beeves. — Go  to  the 
next. 

Luke  Staken  was  arraigned. 


M 


LAW. 


r  ■ 


887 


Recorder. — Stakcn^ou  slept  in  a  room  with  Lahay,  and  itole  all  his 
gold  (1000  dollars).  This  sleeping  in  rooms  with  other  people,  and  steal- 
ing their  things,  is  a  serious  offence,  and  practised  to  a  great  extent  in 
this  city ;  and  what  makes  the  matter  worse,  you  stole  one  thousand 
dollard  in  specie,  when  specie  is  so  scarce.  We  send  you  to  Sing  Sing 
for  five  years. 

Jacob  Williams  was  arraigned.  He  looked  as  if  he  had  not  many  days 
to  live,  though  a  young  man. 

Recorder.  Williams,  you  stole  a  lot  of  kerseymere  from  a  store,  and 
ran  off  with  it — a  most  pernicious  crime  !  But,  as  your  health  is  not 
good,  we  shall  only  send  you  to  Sing  Sing  for  three  years  and  six  months. 

John  H.  Murray  was  arraigned. 

Recorder.  Murray,  you're  a  deep  fellow.  You  got  a  Green  Mountain 
boy  into  an  alloy,  and  played  at  "  shuffle  and  burn,"  and  you  burned  him 
out  of  a  hnndred  dollars.  You  must  go  to  Sing  Sing  for  five  years ;  and 
we  hope  the  reputable  reporters  attending  for  the  respectable  public  press 
will  warn  our  respectable  country  friends,  when  they  come  into  New 
York,  not  to  go  into  Orange  street,  and  play  at  "  shuffle  and  burn"  among 
bad  girls  and  bad  men,  or  they'll  very  likely  get  burnt,  like  this  Oreen 
Mountain  boy. — Go  to  the  next. 

William  Shay,  charged  with  shying  glasses  at  the  head  of  a  tavern- 
keeper.     Guilty. 

Recorder.  This  rioting  is  a  very  bad  crime,  Shay,  and  deserves  heavy 
punishment ;  but  as  we  understand  you  have  a  wife  and  sundry  little 
Shays,  we'll  let  you  off  provided  you  give  your  solemn  promise  never  to 
do  so  any  more. 

Shay.  I  gives  it — wery  solemnonly. 

Recorder.  Then  we  discharge  you. 
J    Shay.  Thank  your  honour — your  honour's  a  capital  judge. 

John  Bowen,  charged  with  stealing  a  basket.     Guilty. 

Recorder.  Now,  John,  we've  convicted  you ;  and  you'll  have  to  get 
out  stone  for  three  months  on  Blackwell's  Island — that's  the  judgment  of 
the  court. 

William  Buckley  and  Charles  Rogers,  charged  with  loafing,  sleeping 
in  the  park,  and  leaving  the  gate  open — were  discharged,  with  a  caution 
to  take  care  how  they  interfered  with  corporation  rights  in  future,  or  they 
would  get  their  corporation  into  trouble. 

Ann  Boyle,  charged  with  being  too  lively  in  the  street.    Let  off  on 
•  condition  of  being  quiet  for  the  time  to  come. 

Thomas  Dixon,  charged  with  petty  larceny.     Guilty. 

Dixon.  I  wish  to  have  judgment  suspended. 

Recorder.  It's  a  bad  time  to  talk  about  suspension  ;  why  do  you  re- 
quest this  1 

Dixon.  I've  an  uncle  I  want  to  see,  and  other  relations. 

Recorder.  In  that  case  we'll  send  you  to  Blackwell's  Island  for  six 
months,  you'll  be  sure  to  find  them  all  there.     Sentence  accordingly. 

Charles  Enroff,  charged  with  petty  larceny — coming  Paddy  over  an 
Irish  shoemaker,  and  thereby  cheating  him  out  of  a  pair  of  shoes. — 
Guilty. 

Sentenced  to  the  penitentiary,  Blackwell's  Island,  for  six  months,  to 
get  out  stone. 

Charles  Thorn,  charged  with  assaulting  Miss  Rachael  Prigmore. 
.  Recorder.  Miss  Prigmore,  how  came  this  man  to  strike  you  1 

Rachael.  Because  I  would'nt  have  him.    (A  laugh.)    He  was  always 


i  'Ji. 
m 


uyi 


!$cj 


%■ 


S38 


LAW. 


a  teuing  me,  and  ipouting  poetry,  about  roses  and  thorns  ;  so  when  I  told 
him  to  be  off  he  struck  me. 
Priaoner  (theatrically).  Me  strike  you  !     Oh,  Rachael^ 

"  Perhaps  it  wm  right  to  disscmblo  your  lore, 
But  why  did  you  kick  ine  down  stairs  ?" 

Pritoner^a  Counsel.  That's  it  your  honour.  Why  did  she  kick  him 
down  stairs  T 

This  the  fair  Rachael  indignantly  denied,  and  the  prisoner  was  found 
guilty. 

Recorder.  This  striking  of  women  is  a  very  bad  crime,  you  must  get 
out  stone  for  two  months. 

Priaoner.  She'll  repent,  your  honour.  She  loves  me — I  know  she 
does. 

"  On  the  cold  flinty  rock,  when  I'm  busy  at  work. 
Oh,  Rachnel,  I'll  think  of  thee." 

Thomas  Ward,  charged  with  petty  larceny.  Guilty.  Ward  had  no- 
thing to  offer  to  ward  oifhis  sentence,  therefore  he  was  sent  to  the  island 
for  SIX  months. 

Maria  Brandon,  charged  with  petty  larceny.  Guilty.  Sentenced  to 
pick  oakum  for  six  months.  % 

Maria.  Well,  I've  friends,  that's  comfort,  they'll  sing — 

"  Oh,  come  to  this  bower,  my  own  stricken  deer." 

Jteeorder.  You're  right,  Maria,  it's  an  oakum  bower  you're  going  to. 

The  court  then  adjourned.* 

But  all  these  are  nothing  compared  with  the  following,  which  at  first 
I  did  not  credit.  I  made  the  strictest  inquiry,  and  was  informed  by  a 
legal  gentleman  present  that  it  was  correct.  I  give  the  extract  as  it  stood 
in  the  newspapers. 

"  Influence  of  a  Pretty  Girl. — '  Catherine  Manly,'  said  the  Recorder 
yesterday,  in  the  sessions,  'you  have  been  convicted  of  a  very  bad  crime. 
This  stealing  is  a  very  serious  offence  ;  but,  as  you  are  a  pretty  girl  ! 
we'll  suspend  judgment,  in  hopes  you  will  do  better  for  the  future.' " 

We  have  ofcen  heard  that  justice  was  blind.     What  a  fib  to  say  so  ! 

Mr.  Carey,  in  his  publication  on  Wealth,  asserts,  that  security  of  pro- 
perty and  of  person  are  greater  in  the  United  States  than  in  England. 
How  far  he  is  correct  I  shall  now  proceed  to  examine.  Mr.  Carey  saya, 
in  his  observations  on  security  of  person — "  Comparing  Massachusetts 
with  England  and  Wales,  we  find  in  the  former  1  in  86,871  sentenced  to 
one  year's  imprisonment  or  more ;  whereas,  in  the  latter  1  in  70,000  is 
sentenced  to  more  than  one  year.  The  number  sentenced  to  one  year 
or  more  in  England  is  greater  than  in  Pennsylvania.  It  is  obvious,  there- 
fore, that  security  is  much  greater  in  Massachusetts  than  in  England,  and 
consequently  greater  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  world." 

Relative  to  crimes  against  security  of  property,  he  asserts — 

"  Of  crimes  against  property,  involving  punishments  of  one  year's  im- 
prisonment, or  more,  we  find — 

In  Pennsylvania       .        .        •  1  in  4,400 

In  New  York      .        .      j^.        .        .     1  in  5,000 
In  Massachusetts     .        .        .        .        1  in  5,932 

♦  Thers  is,  as  will  appear  by  the  quotations,  as  much  fun  in  the  police  re- 
ports in  l^ew  York  as  m  the  best  of  ours  :  the  ttyU  of  the  Recorder  is  ad- 
mirably taken  off. 


LAW. 


239 


'  While  in  England,  in  the  year  1834,  their  conTiettona 
for  offences  ngainst  'property,  involving  punishment! 
exceeding  one  year's  imprisonment,  was  1  in  8,130" 

Now,  that  these  numbers  are  fairly  given,  as  far  as  they  go,  I  have  no 
doubt ;  but  the  comparison  is  not  just,  because,  first,  in  America  crime 
is  not  so  easily  detected  ;  and,  secondly,  when  detected,  conviction  doe* 
not  always  follow. 

Mr.  Carey  must  be  well  aware  that,  in  the  American  newspapers,  you 
eontinuallj/  meet  with  a  paragraph  like  this  : — *'  A  body  of  a  white  maii, 
or  of  a  negro,  was  found  floating  near  such  and  such  a  wharf,  on  Saturday 
last,  with  evident  marks  of  violence  upon  it,  dec.  dec,  and  the  coroner's 
inquest  is  returned  either  found  drowned,  or  violence  by  person  or  per- 
son's  unknown."  Now,  let  Mr.  Carey  take  a  list  from  the  coroner's 
books  of  the  number  of  bodies  found  in  this  manner  at  New  York,  and 
the  number  of  instances  in  which  th«  ^rpetrators  have  been  discovered  ; 
let  him  compare  this  list  with  a  similar  one  made  for  England  and  Wales, 
and  he  will  then  ascertain  the  difference  between  the  crimes  eommitted, 
in  proportion  to  the  eonviclions  which  take  place  through  the  activity  of 
the  police  in  our  country,  and,  it  may  be  said,  the  total  want  of  police  in 
the  United  States. 

As  to  the  second  point,  namely,  that  when  crimes  are  detected,  con- 
viction does  not  follow,*  I  have  only  to  refer  back  to  the  cases  of  Robin- 
son and  Goodwin,  two  instances  out  of  the  many  in  which  criminals  in 
the  United  States  are  allowed  to  escape,  who,  if  they  had  committed  the 
same  offence  in  England,  would  most  certainly  have  been  hanged.  But 
there  is  another  point  which  renders  Mr.  Carey's  statement  un»ir,  which 
is,  that  he  has  no  right  to  select  one,  two,  or  even  three  states  out  of 
twenty-six,  and  compare  them  all  with  England  and  Wales. 

The  question  is,  the  comparative  security  of  person  and  property  in 
Great  Britain  and  the  United  States.  I  acknowledge  that,  if  Ireland 
were  taken  into  the  account,  it  would  very  much  reduce  our  proportional 
nuiinbers  ;  but  then,  there  crime  is  fomented  by  traitors  and  demagogues 
—a  circumstance  which  must  not  be  overlooked. 

Still,  the  whole  of  Ireland  would  offer  nothing  equal  in  atrocity  to  what 
I  can  prove  relative  to  one  small  town  in  America ;  that  of  Augusta,  in 
Georgia,  containing  only  a  population  of  3,000,  in  which,  in  one  year, 
there  were  fifty-nine  assassinations  committed  in  open  day,  without  any 
notice  being  taken  of  them  by  the  authorities. 

This,  alone,  will  exceed  all  Ireland,  and  I  therefore  do  not  hesitate  to 
assert  that  if  every  crime  committed  in  the  United  States  were  followed 
up  by  conviction,  as  it  would  be  in  Great  Britain,  the  result  would  fully 
substantiate  the  fact,  that,  in  security  of  person  and  property,  the  advan- 
tage is  considerably  in  favour  of  my  own  country. 

*  Miss  Martineau,  speaking  of  a  trial  for  murder  in  the  United  Staic^s, 
saj's,  "  I  observed  that  no  one  seemed  to  have  a  doubt  of  his  guilt.  She 
replied,  that  there  never  was  a  clearer  case  ;  but  that  he  would  be  acquit- 
ted ;  the  examination  and  trial  were  a  mere  form,  of  which  every  one  knew 
the  concluaion  beforehand.  The  people  did  not  choose  to  see  any  more 
hanging,  and  till  the  law  was  so  altered  as  to  allow  an  alternative  of  punish- 
ment, no  conviction  for  a  capital  offence  would  be  obtainable.  I  asked  on 
what  pretence  the  young  man  would  be  got  o(F,  if  the  evidence  against  him 
was  as  clear  as  it  was  represented.  She  said  some  one  would  be  found  to 
swear  an  alibi, 

"  A  tradesman  swore  an  alibi ;  the  young  man  was  acquitted,  and  the  next 
morning  he  was  on  his  way  to  the  West." 


..m': 


340 


LTNCH  LAW. 


LYNCH  LAW. 

Enalishmen  express  their  surprise  that  in  a  moral  community  such  a 
monstrosity  as  Lynch  law  should  exist ;  but  although  the  present  system, 
which  has  been  derived  from  the  original  Lynch  law,  cannot  be  too  se- 
verely condemned,  it  must,  in  justice  to  the  Americans,  be  considered 
tl^t  the  original  custom  of  Lynch  law  was  forced  upon  them  by  circun^ 
stances.  Why  the  term  Lynch  law  has  been  made  use  of,  I  do  not 
know ;  but  in  its  origin  the  practice  was  no  more  blameable  than  were 
the  laws  established  by  the  Pilgrim-fathers  on  their  first  landing  at  Ply- 
mouth, or  any  law  enacted  amongst  a  community  left  to  themselves,  their 
own  resources,  and  their  own  guidance  and  government.  Lynch  law,  as 
at  first  constituted,  was  nothing  more  than  punishment  awarded  to 
offenders  by  a  community  who  had  been  injured,  and  who  had  no  law  to 
refer  to,  and  could  have  no  redress  if  they  did  not  take  the  law  into  their 
own  hands ;  the  present  system  of  Lynch  law  is,  on  the  contrary,  an 
illegal  exercise  of  the  power  of  the  majority  in  opposition  to  and  defiance 
of  the  laws  of  the  country,  and  the  measure  of  justice  administered  and 
awarded  by  those  laws. 

It  uiust  be  remembered  that  fifty  years  ago,  there  were  but  a  few 
white  men  to  the  westward  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains ;  that  the  states 
of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  were  at  that  time  as  scanty  in  population  as 
even  now  are  the  districts  of  Iowa  and  Columbia ;  that  by  the  institu- 
tions of  the  Union  a  district  required  a  certain  number  of  inhabitants  be- 
fore it  could  be  acknowledged  as  even  a  district ;  and  that  previous  to 
such  acknowledgement,  the  people  who  had  squatted  on  the  land  had  no 
claim  to  protection  or  law.  It  must  also  be  borne  in  mind,  that  these 
distant  territories  offered  an  asylum  to  many  who  fled  from  the  vengeance 
of  the  laws,  men  without  principle,  thieves,  rogues,  and  vagabonds,  who 
escaping  there,  would  often  interfere  with  the  happiness  and  peace  of 
some  small  yet  well-conducted  community,  which  had  migrated  and  set- 
tled on  these  fertile  regions.  These  communities  had  no  appeal  against 
personal  violence,  no  protection  from  rapacity  and  injustice.  They  were 
not  yet  within  the  pale  of  the  Union ;  indeed  there  are  many  even  now 
in  this  precise  situation  (that  of  the  Mississippi  for  instance,)  who  have 
been  necessitated  to  make  laws  of  government  for  themselves,  and  who 
acting  upon  their  own  responsibility,  do  very  often  condemn  to  death, 
and  execute.*  It  was,  therefore,  to  remedy  the  defect  of  there  being  no 
established  law,  that  Lynch  law,  as  it  is  termed,  was  applied  to ;  without 
it,  all  security,  all  social  happiness  would  have  been  in  a  state  of  abey- 
ance. By  degrees,  ail  disturbers  of  the  public  peace,  all  offenders  against 
justice  met  with  their  deserts  ;  and  as  it  is  a  query,  whether  on  its  first 
institution,  any  law  from  the  bench  was  more  honestly  and  impartially  ad- 

*  "  A  similar  case  is  to  be  found  at  the  present  day,  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi. Upon  lands  belonging  to  the  United  States,  not  yet  surveyed 
or  offered  for  sale,  are  numerous  bodies  of  people  who  have  occupied 
them,  with  the  intention  of  purchasing  them  when  they  shall  be  brought 
into  the  market.  These  persons  are  called  sqtiatters,  and  it  is  not  to  be 
supposed  that  they  consist  of  the  Hile  of  the  emigrants  to  the  West ;  yet 
we  are  informed  that  they  have  organized  a  government  for  themselves, 
and  regularly  elect  magistrates  to  attend  to  the  execution  of  the  laws. 
They  appear,  in  this  respect,  to  be  worthy  descendants  of  the  pilgrims." 
— Carey  on  Wealth. 


LVNOH  LAW. 


84t 


ministered  than  this  very  Lynch  law,  which  has  now  bad  its  name  prosti* 
tuted  by  the  most  barbarous  excesses  and  contemptuous  violation  of  ali 
law  whatever.  The  examples  ^  am  able  to  bring  forward  of  Lynch  law, 
in  its  primitive  state,  will  be  fc  .v  >  .■.  have  been  based  upon  necessity, 
and  a  due  regard  to  morals  and  tu  jusuce.  For  instance,  the  harmony  of 
a  well-conducted  community  would  be  interfered  with  by  some  worthless 
scoundrel,  who  would  entice  the  young  men  to  gaming,  or  the  young 
women  to  deviate  from  virtue.  He  becomes  a  nuisance  to  the  commu> 
nity,  and  in  consequence  the  heads  or  elders  would  meet  and  vote  his 
expulsion.  Their  method  was  very  simple  and  straight-forward ;  he  waa 
informed  that  his  absence  would  be  agreeable,  and  that  if  he  did  not "  clear 
out"  before  a  certain  day,  he  would  receive  forty  lashes  with  a  cow-hide. 
If  the  party  thought  proper  to  defy  this  notice,  as  soon  as  the  day  anived 
he  received  the  punishment,  with  a  due  notification  that,  if  found  there 
again  after  a  certain  time,  the  dose  would  be  repeated.  By  these  means 
they  rid  the  community  of  a  bad  subject,  and  the  morals  of  the  junior 
branches  were  not  contaminated.  Such  was  in  its  origin  the  practice  of 
Lynch  law. 

A  circumstance  occurred  within  these  few  years  in  which  Lynch  law 
was  duly  administered.  At  Dubuque,  in  the  Iowa  district,  a  murder  waa 
committed.  The  people  of  Dubuque  first  applied  to  the  authorities  of 
the  state  of  Michigan,  but  they  discovered  that  the  district  of  Iowa  was 
not  within  the  jurisdiction  of  that  tsate ;  and,  in  fact,  although  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river  there  was  law  and  justice,  they  had  neither  to 
appeal  to.  They  would  not  allow  the  murderer  to  escape  ;  they  conse- 
quently met,  selected  among  themselves  a  judge  and  a  jury,  tried  the 
man,  and,  upon  their  own  responsibility,  hanged  him. 

There  was  another  instance  which  occurred  a  short  time  since  at 
Snakes'  Hollow,  on  the  western  side  of  the  Mississippi,  not  far  from  the 
town  of  Dubuque.  A  band  of  miscreants,  with  a  view  of  obtaining  pos- 
session of  some  valuable  diggings  (lead  mines),  which  were  in  the  pos- 
session of  a  grocer  who  lived  in  that  place,  murdered  him  in  the  open 
day.  The  parties  were  well  known,  but  they  held  together  and  would 
none  of  them  give  evidence.  As  there  were  no  hopes  of  their  convic- 
tion, the  people  of  Snakes'  Hollow  armed  themselves,  seized  the  parties 
engaged  in  the  transaction,  and  ordered  them  to  quit  the  territory  on 
pain  of  having  a  rifle-bullet  through  their  heads  immediately.  The 
scoundrels  crossed  the  river  in  a  canoe,  and  were  never  after  heard  of. 

I  have  collected  these  facts  to  show  that  Lynch  law  has  been  forced 
upon  the  American  settlers  in  the  western  states  by  circumstances ;  that 
it  has  been  acted  upon  in  support  of  morality  and  virtue,  and  that  its 
awards  have  been  regulated  by  strict  justice.  But  I  must  now  notice 
this  practice  with  a  view  to  show  how  dangerous  it  is  that  any  law  should 
be  meted  out  by  the  majority,  and  that  what  was  commenced  from  a  sense 
of  justice  and  necessity,  has  now  changed  into  a  defiance  of  law,  where 
law  and  justice  can  be  readily  obtained.  The  Lynch  law  of  the  present 
day,  as  practised  in  the  states  of  the  west  and  south,  may  be  divided  im« 
two  different  heads :  the  first  is,  the  administration  of  it  in  cases  in  which 
the  laws  of  the  states  are  considered  by  the  majority  as  not  having 
awarded  a  punishment  adequate,  in  their  opinion,  to  the  offence  commit- 
ted ;  and  the  other,  when  from  excitement  the  majority  will  not  wait  for 
the  law  to  act,  but  inflict  the  punishment  with  their  own  hands. 

The  following  are  instances  under  the  first  head. 
\   Every  crime  mcreases  in  magnitude  in  proportion  as  it  affects  the  wel- 


m 


SIS 


LYNCH  LAW. 


fare  and  interest  of  the  community.  Forgery  and  bigamy  are  certainly 
crimes,  but  they  are  not  such  heavy  crimes  as  many  others  to  which  the 
same  penalty  is  decreed  in  this  country.  But  in  a  commercial  nation 
forgery,  from  its  effects,  becomes  most  injurious,  as  it  destroys  confidence 
and  security  of  property,  affecting  the  whole  moss  of  society.  A  man 
may  have  his  pocket  picked  of  i:iOOO  or  more,  but  this  is  not  a  capital 
offence,  as  it  is  only  the  individual  who  suffers;  but  if  a  mnxi forgets 
bill  for  £5  he  is  (or  rather  was)  sentenced  by  our  laws  to  be  hanged. 
Bigamy  may  be  adduced  as  another  instance :  the  heinousness  of  the  of- 
fence is  not  in  having  more  than  one  wife,  but  in  the  prospect  of  the  chil- 
dren of  the  first  marriage  being  left  to  be  supported  by  the  community. 
Formerly,  that  was  also  pronounced  a  capital  offence.  Of  punishments, 
it  will  be  observed  that  society  has  awarded  the  most  severe  for  crimes 
committed  against  itself,  rather  than  against  those  which  most  offend 
God.  Upon  this  principle,  in  the  southern  and  western  states,  you  mav 
murder  ten  white  men  and  no  one  will  arraign  you  or  trouble  himself 
about  the  matter  ;  but  steal  one  nigger,  and  the  whole  community  are  in 
arms,  and  express  the  most  virtuous  indignation  against  the  sin  of  theft, 
although  that  of  murder  will  be  disregarded. 

One  or  two  instances  in  which  Lynch  law  was  called  in  to  assist,  jus- 
tice on  the  bench,  came  to  my  knowledge.  A  Yankee  had  stolen  a  slave, 
but  as  the  indictment  was  not  properly  worded,  he  knew  that  he  would  be 
acquitted,  and  he  boasted  so,  previous  to  the  trial  coming  on.  He  was  cor- 
rect in  his  supposition ;  the  flaw  in  the  indictment  was  fatal,  and  he  was 
acquitted.  "  I  told  you  so,"  said  he,  triumphantly  smiling  as  he  left  the 
court,  to  the  people  who  had  seen  the  issue  of  the  trial. 

"  Yes,"  replied  they,  "  it  is  true  that  you  have  been  acquitted  by  Judge 
Smith,  but  you  have  not  yet  been  tried  by  Judge  Lynch."  The  latter 
judge  was  very  summary.  The  Yankee  was  tied  up,  and  cow-hided  till 
he  was  nearly  dead  ;  they  then  put  him  into  a  dug-out  and  sent  him 
floating  down  the  river.  Another  instance  occurred  which  is  rather 
amusing,  and,  at  the  same  time,  throws  some  light  upon  the  peculiar 
state  of  society  in  the  west. 

There  was  a  bar-keeper  at  some  tavern  in  the  state  of  Louisiana  (if  I 
recollect  right)  who  was  a  great  favourite  ;  whether  from  his  judicious 
mixture  of  the  proportions  of  mint  juleps  and  gin  cocktails,  or  from  other 
causes,  I  do  not  know ;  but  what  may  appear  strange  to  the  English,  .le 
was  elected  to  an  ofSce  in  the  law  courts  of  the  state,  similar  to  our 
Attorney-General,  and  I  believe  was  very  successful,  for  an  American 
can  turn  his  hand  or  his  head  to  almost  anything.  It  so  happened  that  a 
young  man  who  was  in  prison  for  stealing  a  negro,  applied  to  this  attor- 
ney-general to  defend  him  in  the  court.  This  he  did  so  successfully 
that  the  man  was  acquitted  ;  but  Judge  Lynch  was  as  usual  waiting  out- 
side, and  when  the  attorney  came  out  with  his  cUent,  the  latter  was  de- 
manded to  be  given  up.  This  the  attorney  refused,  saying  that  the  man 
was  under  his  protection.  A  tumult  ensued,  but  the  attorney  was  firm  ; 
he  drew  his  Bowie-knife,  and  addressing  the  crowd,  said,  *'  My  men, 
you  all  know  me :  no  one  takes  this  man,  unless  he  passes  over  my 
body."  The  populace  were  still  dissatisfied,  and  the  attorney  not 'wish- 
ing to  lose  his  popularity,  and  at  the  same  time  wanting  to  defend  a  man 
who  had  paid  him  well,  requested  the  people  to  be  quiet  a  moment  until 
he  could  arrange  the  affair.  He  took  his  client  aside,  and  said  to  him, 
<*  These  men  will  have  you,  and  will  Lynch  you,  in  spite  of  all  my  ef- 
forts ;  only  one  chance  remains  for  you,  and  you  muit  accept  it :  you 


passion, 


mm 


MNCH  LAW. 


843 


know  that  it  is  but  a  mile  to  the  confines  of  the  next  state,  which  if  you 
gain  you  will  be  secure.  You  have  been  in  prison  for  two  months,  you 
have  lived  on  bread  and  water,  and  you  must  be  in  good  wind,  moreover 
vou  are  young  and  active.  These  men  who  wish  to  get  hold  of  you  are 
half  (trunk,  and  they  never  can  run  as  you  can.  Now,  I'll  propose  that  you 
havb  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  law,  and  then  if  you  exert  yourself,  you 
can  easily  escape."  The  man  consented,  as  he  could  not  help  himself: 
the  populace  also  consented,  as  the  attorney  pointed  out  to  them  that  any 
other  arrangement  would  be  injurious  to  his  honour.  The  man,  however, 
did  not  succeed ;  he  was  so  frighteoed  that  he  could  not  run,  and  in  a 
short  time  he  was  taken,  and  had  the  usual  allowance  of  cow-hide 
awarded  by  Judge  Lynch.  Fortunately  he  regained  his  prison  before  he 
was  quite  exhausted,  and  was  sent  away  during  the  night  in  a  steamer. 

At  Natchez,  a  young  man  married  a  young  lady  of  fortune,  and,  in  his 
passion,  actually  flogged  her  to  death.  He  was  tried,  but  as  there  were 
no  witnesses  but  negroes,  and. their  evidence  was  not  admissible  against 
a  white  man,  he  was  acquitted  :  but  he  did  not  escape  ;  he  was  seized, 
tarred  and  feathered,  scalped  and  turned  adrift  in  a  canoe  without  pad* 
dies. 

Such  are  the  instances  of  Lynch  law  being  superadded,  when  it  has 
been  considered  by  the  majority  that  the  law  has  not  been  sufficiently  se- 
vere.  The  other  variety  of  Lynch  law- is,  when  they  will  not  wait  for 
law,  but,  in  a  state  of  excitement,  proceed  to  summary  punishment. 

The  case  more  than  once  referred  to  by  Miss  Martineau,  of  the  burning 
alive  of  a  coloured  man  at  St.  Louis,  is  one  of  the  gravest  under  this  head. 
I  do  not  wish  to  defend  it  in  any  way,  but  I  do,  for  the  honour  of  huma- 
nity, wish  to  offer  all  that  can  be  said  in  extenuation  of  this  atrocity  :  and  I 
think  Miss  Martineau,  when  she  held  up  to  public  indignation  the  monstrous 
punishment,  was  bound  to  acquaint  the  public  with  the  cause  of  an  ex- 
citable  people  being  led  into  such  an  enor.  This  unfortunate  victim  of 
popular  fury  was  a  free^colored  man,  of  a  very  quarrelsome  and  malignant 
disposition  ;  he  had  already  been  engaged  in  a  rariety  of  disputes,  and 
was  a  nuisance  in  the  city.  For  an  attempt  to  murder  another  coloured 
man,  he  v;as  seized,  and  was  being  conducted  to  prison  in  the  custody  of 
Mr.  Hammond,  the  Sheriff,  and  another  white  person  who  assisted  him 
in  the  execution  of  his  duty.  As  he  arrived  at  the  door  of  the  p/rison,  he 
watched  his  opportunity,  stabbed  the  person  who  was  assisting  the  Sher- 
iff, and,  then  passing  his  knife  across  the  throat  of  Mr.  Hammond,  the 
carotid  artery  was  divided,  and  the  latter  fell  dead  upon  the  spot.  Now, 
here  was  a  wretch  who,  in  one  day,  had  three  times  attempted  murder, 
and  had  been  successful  in  the  instance  of  Mr.  Hammond,  the  sheriff,  a 
person  universally  esteemed.  Moreover,  when  it  is  considered  that  the 
culprit  was  of  a  race  who  are  looked  upon  as  inferior ;  that  this  success- 
ful attempt  on  the  part  of  a  black  man  was  considered  most  dangerous 
as  a  precedent  to  the  negro  population  ;  that,  owing  to  the  unwillingness 
to  take  away  life  in  America,  he  might  probably  have  escaped  justice  ; 
and  that  this^occurred  just  at  the  moment  when  the  abolitionists  were 
creating  such  mischief  and  irritation  : — although  it  must  be  lamented  that 
they  should  have  so  disgraced  themselves,  the  summary  and  cruel  pun- 
ishment which  was  awarded  by  an  incensed  populace  is  not  very  surpri- 
sing. Miss  Martineau  has,  however,  thought  proper  to  pass  over  the 
peculiar  atrocity  of  the  individual  who  was  thus  sacrificed  ;  to  read  her 
account  of  the  transaction,  it  would  appear  as  if  he  were  an  unoffending 
party,  sacrificed  on  account  of  his  colour  alone. 

Another  rema.kable  instance  was  the  execution  of  five  gamblers  at  the 


M4 


LTNOH  LAW. 


town  of  Vicksburgh,  on  the  Mississippi.  It  may  appear  strange  that  peo- 
dle  should  be  lynched  for  the  mere  vice  of  gambling :  but  this  will  be 
better  understood  when,  in  my  second  portion  of  this  work,  I  enter  into  a 
general  view  of  society  in  the  United  States.  At  present  it  will  be  suffi> 
cient  to  say,  that  as  towns  rise  in  the  South  and  West,  they  gradually 
become  peopled  with  a  better  class  ;  and  that,  as  soon  as  this  better  class 
is  sufficiently  strong  to  accomplish  their  ends,  a  purification  takes  place 
much  to  the  advantage  of  society.  I  hardly  need  observe ;  that  these 
better  classes  come  from  the  Eastward.  New  Orleans,  Natchez,  and 
Vicksburgh  are  evidences  of  the  truth  of  observations  I  have  made.  In 
the  present  instance,  it  was  resolved  by  the  people  of  Vicksburgh  that 
they  would  no  longer  permit  their  city  to  be  the  resort  of  a  set  of  unprin- 
cipled characters,  and  that  all  gamblers  by  profession  should  be  compelled 
to  quit  it.  But,  as  I  have  the  American  account  of  what  occurred,  I 
think  it  will  be  better  to  give  it  in  detail,  the  rather  as  I  was  informed  by 
a  gentleman  residing  there  that  it  is  perfectly  correct : — 

**  Our  city  has  for  some  days  past  been  the  theatre  of  the  most  nove' 
and  startling  scenes  that  we  have  ever  witnessed.     While  we  regret  that 
the  necessity  for.  such  scenes  should  have  existed,  we  are  proud  of  the 
public  spirit  and  indignation  against  offenders  displayed  by  the  citizens, 
and  congatulate  them  on  having  at  length  banished  a  class  of  individuals, 
whose  shameless  vices  and  daring  outrages  have  long  poisoned  the  springs 
of  morality,  and  interrupted  the  relations  of  society.     For  years  past,  pro- 
fessional gamblers,  destitute  of  all  sense  of  moral  obligation — unconnected 
with  society  by  any  of  its  ordinary  ties,  and  intent  only  on  the  gratification 
of  their  avarice — have  made  Vicksburgh  their  place  of  rendezvous — and, 
in  the  very  bosom  of  our  society,  boldly  plotted  their  vile  and  lawless 
machinations.     Here,  as  everywhere  else,  the  laws  of  the  country  were 
found  wholly  ineffectual  for  the  punishment  of  these  individuals  ;  and, 
emboldened  by  impunity,  their  numbers  and  their  crimes  have  daily  con- 
tinued to  multiply.     Every  species  of  transgression  followed  in  their  train. 
They  supported  a  large  number  of  tippling-houses,  to  which  they  would 
decoy  the  youthful  and  unsuspecting,  and,  after  stripping  them  of  their 
possessions,  send  them  forth  into  the  world  the  ready  and  desperate  in- 
struments of  vice.  Our  streets  were  ever  resounding  with  the  echoes  of  their 
drunken  and  obscene  mirth,  and  no  citizen  was  secure  from  their  villany. 
Frequently,  in  armed  bodies,  they  have  disturbed  the  good  order  of  pub- 
lic assemblages,  insulted  our  citizens,  and  defied  our  civil  authorities. 
Thus  had  they  continued  to  grow  bolder  in  their  wickedness,  and  more 
formidable  in  their  numbers,  until  Saturday,  the  4th  of  July  (inst.),  when 
our  citizens  had  assembled  together,  with  the  corps  of  Vicksburgh  volun- 
teers, at  a  barbecue,  to  celebrate  the  day  by  the  usual  festivities.     After 
dinner,  and  during  the  delivery  of  the  toasts,  one  of  the  officers  attempted 
to  enforce  order  and  silence  at  the  table,  when  one  of  the  gamblers,  whose 
name  is  Cabler,  who  had  impudently  thrust  himself  into  the  company, 
insulted  the  officer,  and  struck  one  of  the  citizens.     Indignation  immedi- 
ately rose  high,  and  it  was  only  by  the  interference  of  the  commandant 
that  he  was  saved  from  instant  punishment.  He  was,  however,  permitted 
to  retire,  and  the  company  dispersed.  The  military  corps  proceeded  to  the 
public  square  of  the  city,  and  were  there  engaged  in  their  exercises,  when 
information  was  received  that  Cabler  was  coming  up,  armed,  and  resolved 
to  kill  one  of  the  volunteers,  who  had  been  most  active  in  expelling  him 
from  the  table.     Knowing  his  desperate  character,  two  of  the  corps  in- 
stantly stepped  f-x-ward  and  arrested  him.  A  loaded  pistol  and  a  large  knife 
and  dagger  were  l  und  upon  his  person,  all  of  which  he  had  procured 
fince  he  separated  from  the  company.    To  liberate  him  would  have  beea 


tVNOH  LAW. 


9tf 


to  devote  sdVeral  of  the  most  respectable  members  of  the  company  to  hie . 
vengeance,  and  to  proceed  against  him  at  law  would  have  been  mere 
mockery,  inasmuch  as,  not  having  had  the  opportunity  of  consummating 
his  design,  no  adequate  punishment  could  be  inflicted  on  him.  Conse- 
quently, it  was  determined  to  take  him  into  the  woods  and  Lynch  him — 
which  is  a  mode  of  punishment  provided  for  such  as  become  obnoxious 
in  a  manner  which  the  law  cannot  reach.  He  was  immediately  carried 
out  under  a  guard,  attended  by  a  crowd  of  respectable  citizens — tied 
to  a  tree — punished  with  stripes — tarred  and  feathered,  and  ordered  to 
leave  the  city  in  forty-eight  hours.  In  the  meantime,  one  of  his  com- 
rades, the  Lucifer  of  his  gang,  had  been  endeavouring  to  rally  and  arm 
his  confederates  for  the  purpose  of  rescuing  him — which,  however,  he 
failed  to  accomplish. 

"  Having  thus  aggravated  the  whole  band  of  these  desperadoes,  and 
feeling  no  security  against  their  vrngeance,  the  citizens  met  at  night  in 
the  court-house,  in  a  large  number,. and  there  passed  the  following  reso-. 
lutions : — 

"  Resolved,  That  a  notice  be  given  to  all  professional  gamblers,  that 
the  citizens  of  Vicksburg  are  resolved  to  exclude  them  from  this  place  and 
its  vicinity  ;  and  that  twenty-four  hours'  notice  be  given  them  to  leave 
the  place. 

*' Resolved,  That  all  persons  permitting  faro-dealing  in' their  houses, 
be  also  notified  that  they  will  be  prosecuted  therefor. 

^'Resolved,  That  one  hundred  copies  of  the  foregoing  resolutions  be 
printed  and  stuck  up  a,t  the  corners  of  the  streets — and  that  this  publi- 
cation be  deemed  a  notice. 

"  On  Sunday  morning,  one  of  these  notices  was  posted  at  the  corners 
of  each  square  of  the  city.  During  that  day  (the  5th)  a  nnajority  of  the 
gang,  terrified  by  the  threats  of  the  citizens,  dispersed  in  different  direc- 
tions, without  making  any  opposition.  It  was  sincerely  hoped  that  the 
remainder  would  follow  their  example  and  thus  prevent  a  bloody  ter-- 
mination  of  the  strife  which  had  commenced.  On  the  morning  of  the 
6th,  the  military  corps,  followed  by  a  file  of  several  hundred  citizens, 
inarched  to  each  suspected  house,  and  sending  in  an  examining  com- 
mittee, dragged  out  every  faro-table  and  other  gambling  {^paratus  that 
could  be  found.  At  length  they  approached  a  house  which  was  occupied 
by  one  of  the  most  profligate  of  the  gang,  whose  name  was  North,  and  in 
which  it  was  understood  that  a  garrison  of  armed  men  had  been  station- 
ed. All  hoped  that  these  wretches  would  be  intimidated  by  the  superior 
numbers  of  iheir  assailants,  and  surrender  themselves  at  discretion  rather 
than  attempt  a  desperate  defence.  The  house  being  surrounded,  the 
back  door  was  burst  open,  when  four  or  five  shots  were  fired  from  the 
interior,  one  of  which  instantly  killed  Dr.  Hugh  S.  Bodley,  a  citizen  uni- 
versally beloved  and  respected.  The  interior  was  so  dark  that  the  vil- 
lains could  not  be  seen ;  but  several  of  the  citizens,  guided  by  the  flash, 
of  their  guns,  returned  their  fiie.  A  yell  from  one  of  the  party  an- 
nounced that  one  of  the  shots  had  been  effectual,  and;  by  this  time  a 
crowd  of  citizens^  their  indignation  overcoming  all  othec  feelings,  burst 
open  every  door  of  the  building,  and  dragged  into  the  light  those  whahad 
QOt  been  wounded. 

"North,  the  ringleader,  whothad  contrived  this  desperate  plot,  could; 
not  be  found  in  the  building,  but  was  apprehended  if  a  citizen,  while 
attempting,  in  company  with  another,  to  make  his  escape  at  a  place  not 
far  distant.  Himself,  with  the  rest  of  the  prisoners,  was  then  conducted 
in  nUnce  to  the  scaffold.  One  of  them,  not  having  been  in  the  building 
hefiNce  it  was  attacked,  nor  appearing  to  be  coQcern«d  with  the  xffHit  ««• 


ll    ■  ^1 


246 


lYKOH  tiW. 


cept  that  he  was  the  brother  of  one  of  them,  was  liberated.  The  remaid' 
ing  number  of  five,  among  whom  was  the  individual  who  had  been  shot, 
but  who  still  lived,  were  immediately  executed  in  presence  of  the  assem- 
bled multitude.  All  sympathy  for  the  wretches  was  completely  merged 
in  detestation  and  horror  of  their  crime.  The  whole  procession  then  re- 
turned to  the  city,  collected  all  the  faro-tables  into  a  pile,  and  burnt  them. 
This  being  done,  a  troop  of  horsemen  set  out  for  a  neighbouring  house  ; 
the  residence  of  J.  Hord,  the  individual  who  had  attempted  to  organize 
a  force  on  the  first  day  of  the  disturbance  for  the  rescue  of  Cdbler,  who 
had  since  been  threatening  to  fire  the  city.  He  had,  however,  made  his 
escape  on  that  day,  and  the  next  morning  crossed  the  Big  Black  at 
Baldwin's  Ferry,  in  a  state  of  indescribable  consternation.  We  lament 
his  escape,  as  his  whole  course  of  life  for  the  last  three  years  has  ex- 
hibittid  the  most  shameless  profligacy,  and  been  a  series  of  continual 
transgressions  against  the  laws  of  God  and  man. 

'*  The  names  of  the  individuals  who  perished  were  as  follow : — North, 
Hullams,  Dutch  Bill,  Smith,  and  McCall. 

"  Their  bodies  were  cut  down  on  the  morning  after  the  execution,  and 
buried  in  a  ditch. 

"  It  is  not  expected  that  this  act  will  pass  without  censure  from  those 
who  had  not  an  opportunity  of  knowing  and  feeling  the  dire  necessity 
out  of  which  it  originated.  The  laws,  however  severe  in  their  provision, 
have  never  been  sufficient  to  correct  a  vice  which  must  be  established  by 
positive  proof,  and  cannot,  like  others,  be  shown  from  circumstantial 
testimony  It  is  practised,  too,  by  individuals  whose  whole  study  is  to 
violate  the  law  in  such  a  manner  as  to  evade  its  punishment,  and  who 
never  are  in  want  of  secret  confederates  to  swear  them  out  of  their  dif- 
ficulties, whose  oa^hs  cannot  be  impeached  for  any  specific  cause.  We 
had  borne  with  their  enormities  until  to  suffer  them  any  longer  would  not 
only  have  proved  us  to  be  destitute  of  every  manly  sentiment,  but  would 
also  have  implicated  us  in  the  guilt  of  accessaries  to  their  crimes.  So- 
ciety may  be  compared  to  the  elements,  which,  although  'order  is  their 
first  law,'  can  sometimes  be  purified  only  by  a  storm.  Whatever,  there- 
fore, sickly  sensibility  or  mawkish  philanthropy  may  say  against  the  course 
purisued  by  us,  we  hope  that  our  citizens  will  not  relax  the  code  of  pun- 
ishment which  they  havo  enacted  against  this  infamous  and  baleful  class 
of  society ;  and  we  invite  Natchez,  Jackson,  Columbus,  Warrenton,  and 
all  our  sister  towns  throughout  the  state,  in  the  name  of  our^  insulted 
laws,  of  offended  virtue,  and  of  slaughtered  innocence,  to  aid  us  in  ex- 
terminating this  deep-rooted  vice  from  our  land.  The  revolution  has 
been  conducted  here  by  the  most  respectable  citizens,  heads  of  families, 
members  of  all  classes,  professions,  and  pursuits.  None  have  been  heard 
to  utter  a  syllable  of  censure  against  either  the  act  or  the  manner  in 
which  it  was  performed. 

"  An  Anti-gambling  Society  has  been  formed,  the  members  of  which 
have  pledged  their  lives,  fortunes,  and  sacred  honours  for  the  suppres- 
sion of  gambling,  and  the  punishment  and  expulsion  of  gamblers. 

"  Startling  as  the  above  may  seem  to  foreigners,  it  will  ever  reflect 
honour  on  the  insulted  citizens  of  VicksbHrg,  among  those  who  best  know 
how  to  appreciate  the  motives  by  which  they  were  actuated;  Their  city 
now  stands  redeemed  and  ventilated  from  all  the  vices  and  influence  of 
gambling  and  asaienation  houses  ;  two  oi  the  greatest  curses  that  ever 
corrupted  the  morus  of  any  community." 

That  the  society  in  the  towns  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  can  only, 
Kite  the  atmosphere,  "  be  purified  by  storm,"  is,  I  am  afraid,  but  too  true. 

I  have  now  entered  fully,  and  I  trui  impartially,  into  the  rise  and  pror- 


\ 


eLIlfATB. 


247 


gtent  of  Lynch  Law,  and  I  must  leave  my  readers  to  form  their  own  con- 
clusions. That  it  has  occasionally  been  beneficial,  in  the  peculiar  state 
of  the  communities  in  which  it  has  been  practised,  must  be  admitted ; 
but  it  is  equally  certain  that  it  is  in  itself  indefensible,  and  that  but  too 
often,  not  only  the  punishment  is  much  too  severe  for  the  offence,  but 
what  is  still  more  to  be  deprecated,  the  innocent  do  occasionally  suffer 
with  the  guilty. 

CLIMATE. 

I  WISH  the  remarks  in  this  chapter  to  receive  peculiar  attention,  as  in 
commenting  upon  the  character  of  the  Americans,  it  is  but  justice  to  them 
to  point  out  that  many  of  what  may  be  considered  their  errors,  arise  from 
tircumstances  over  which  they  have  no  control ;  and  one  which  has  no 
small  weight  in  thjs  scale  is  the  pecuhar  chmate  of  the  country  ;  for 
various  as  is  the  climate,  in  such  an  extensive  region,  certain  it  is,  that 
one  point,  that  of  excitement,  it  has,  in  every  portion  of  it,  a  very  per- 
nicious effect. 

When  I  first  arrived  at  New  York,  the  effect  of  the  climate  upon  me 
was  immediate.  On  the  6th  of  May,  the  heat  and  closeness  were  op- 
pressive. There  was  a  sultriness  in  the  air,  even  at  that  early  period  of 
the  year,  which  to  me  seemed  equal  to  that  of  Madras.  Almost  every 
day  there  were,  instead  of  our  mild  refreshing  showers,  sharp  storms  of 
thunder  and  lightning ;  but  the  air  did  not  appear  to  me  to  be  cooled  by 
them.  And  yet,  strange  to  say,  there  were  no  incipient  signs  of  vegeta- 
tion :  the  trees  waved  their  bare  arms,  and  while  I  was  throwing  off  every 
garment  which  I  well  could,  the  females  were  walking  up  and  down 
Broadway  wrapped  up  in  warm  shawls.  It  appeared  as  if  it  required 
twice  the  heat  we  have  in  our  own  country,  either  to  create  a  free  circu- 
lation in  the  blood  of  the  people,  or  to  stimulate  nature  to  rouse  after  the 
torpor  of  protracted  and  severe  winter.  In  a  week  from  the  period  I 
have  mentioned,  the  trees  were  in  full  foliage,  the  belles  of  Broadway 
walking  about  in  summer  dresses  and  thin  satm  shoes,  the  men  calling  for 
ice  and  rejoicing  in  the  beauty  of  the  weather,  the  heat  of  which  to  me 
was  most  oppressive.  In  one  respect  there  appears  to  be  very  little  dif- 
ference throughout  all  the  states  of  the  Union ;  where  is,  in  the  extreme 
heat  of  the  summer  months,  and  the  rapid  changes  of  temperature  which 
take  place  in  the  twen^-four  hours.  When  I  was  on  Lake  Superior  the 
thermometer  stood  between  90°  and  100^  during  the  day,  and  at  night 
was  nearly  down  to  the  freezing  point.  When  at  St.  Peter's,  which  is 
nearly  as  far  north,  and  farther  west,  the  thermometer  stood  generally  at 
100°  to  106°  during  the  day,  and  I  found  it  to  be  the  case  in  all  the  northern 
states  when  the  winter  is  most  severe,  as  well  as  in  the  more  southern. 
When  on  the  Mississippi  and  Ohio  rivers,  where  the  heat  was  most  insuf- 
ferable during  the  day,  our  navigaticni  was  almost  every  night  suspended 
by  the  thick  dank  fogs,  which  covered  not  only  the  waters  but  the  inland 
country,  and  which  must  be  anything  but  healthy.  In  fact,  in  every  por- 
tion of  the  states  which  I  visited,  and  in  those  portions  also  which  I  did 
not  visit,  the  extreme  heat  and  rapid  changes  in  the  weather  were  (ac- 
cording to  the  information  received  from  other  persons)  the  same. 

But  I  must  proceed  to  particulars.  I  consider  the  climate  on  the  sea- 
coasts  of  the  eastern  states,  from  Maine  to  Baltimore,  as  the  most  un- 
healthy of  all  parts  of  America ;  as,  added  to  the  sudden  changes,  they 
have  cold  and  damp  easterly  winds,  which  occasion  a  great  deal  of  oon- 
samption.  The  inhabitants,  more  especially  the  woman,  show  this  ia 
their  appearance,  and  it  is  by  the  inhabitants  that  the  climate  nuut  b» 


MB 


CLimTS. 


tested.  The  women  are  very  delicate,  and  very  pretty  ;  but  they  remind 
you  of  roses  which  have  budded  fairly,  but  which  a  check  iu  the  season 
has  not  permitted  to  bbw.  Up  to  sixteen  or  seventeen,  they  promise 
perfection ;  at  that  age  their  advance  appears  to  be  checked.  Mr.  Saun- 
derson,  in  a  very  clever  and  amusing  work,  which  I  recommend  to  every 
one,  called  "  Sketches  of  Paris,"  says  :  "  Our  climate  is  noted  for  three 
eminent  qualities — extreme  heat  and  cold,  and  extreme  suddenness  of 
change.,  If  a  lady  has  bad  teeth,  or  a  bad  complexion,  she  lays  themcon* 
veniently  to  the  climate  ;  if  her  beauty,  like  a  tender  flower,  fades  before 
noon,  it  is  the  cHmate  ;  if  she  has  a  bad  temper,  or  a  snukpnose,  still  it  is 
the  climate.  But  our  climate  is  active  and  intellectual,  especially  in 
winter,  and  in  all  seasons  more  pure  and  transparent  than  the  inking  skies 
of  Europe.  It  sustains  the  infancy  of  beauty — why  not  its  maturity  1  It 
spares  the  bud — why  not  the  opened  blossom,  or  the  ripened  fruit  1  Our 
negroes  are  perfect  in  their  teeth — why  not  the  whites'!  The  chief  pre- 
servation of  beauty  in  any  country  is  health,  and  there  is  no  place  in  which 
this  great  interest  is  so  little  attended  to  as  in  America.  To  be  sensible 
of  this,  you  must  visit  Europe — you  must  see  the  deep  bosomed  maids  of 
England  upon  the  Place  Vendoine  and  the  Rue  Castiglione." 

I  have  quoted  this  passage,  because  I  think  Mr.  Saunderson  is  not  just 
in  these  slurs  upon  his  fair  countrywomen,  I  acknowledge  that  a  bad 
■temper  does  not  directly  proceed  from  climate,  although  sickness  and  suf- 
fering, occasioned  by  climate,  may  directly  produce  it.  As  for  the  snub 
nose,  I  agree  with  him,  that  climate  has  not  so  much  to  do  with  that.  Mr. 
Saunderson  is  right  in  saying,  that  the  chief  preservative  of  .beauty  is 
health  ;  but  may  I  ask  him,  upon  what  does  health  depend  but  upon  exer- 
cise? and  if  so,  how  many  days  are  there  in  the  American  summer  in 
which  the  heat  will  admit  of  exercise,  or  in  the  American  winter  in 
which  it  is  possible  for  women  to  walk  out  1 — for  carriage  driving  is  not 
exercise,  and  if  it  were,  from  the  changes  in  the  weather  in  America, 
it  will  always  be  dangerous.  The  fact  is,  that  the  climate  will  not 
admit  of  the  exercise  necessary  for  health,  unless  by  running  great 
risks,  and  very  often  contracting  cold  and  chills,  which  end  in  consump- 
tion and  death.  To  accuse  his  c'buntrywomen  of  natural  indolence, 
is  unfair ;  it  is  an  indolence  forced  upon  them.  As  for  the  complexions 
of  the  females,  I  consider  they  are  much  injured  by  the  universal  use  of 
close  stoves,  so  necessary  in  the  extremity  of  the  winters.  Mr.  S.'s  im- 
plication, that  because  negroes  have  perfect  teeth,  therefore  so  should  the 
whites,  is  another  error.  The  negroes  were  born  for,  and  in,  a  torrid 
clime,  and  there  is  some  difference  between  their  strong  ivory  mastica- 
tors and  the  transparent  pearly  teeth  which  so  rapidly  decay  in  the  east- 
ern states,  from  no  other  cause  than  the  variability  of  the  climate.  Be- 
sides, do  the  teeth  of  the  women  in  the  western  states  decay  so  fast  1 
Take  a  healthy  situation,  with  an  intermediate  climate,  such  as  Cincin- 
nati, and  you  will  there  find  not  only  good  teeth,  but  as  deep-bosemed 
maids  as  you  will  in  England  ;  so  you  will  in  Yirginiar  Kentucky,  Mis- 
souri, and  Wisconsin,  which,-  with  a  portion  of  Ohicr,  are  the  most 
healthy  state»  in  the  Union.  There  is  another  proof,  and  a  positive  one, 
that  the  women  are  affected  by  the  climate  and  not  through  any  fault  of 
their  own,  which  is,  that  if  you  transplant  a  delicate  American  girl  tO' 
England,  she  will  'in  a  year  or  two  become  so  robust  and  healthy  as  not 
to  be  recognized  upon  her  return  home  ;  showing  that  the  even  tempera' 
tute  of  our  damp  climate  is  from  the  capability  ofconstant  exercise,  more 
•oaducive  to  health,,  than  the  sunny,  yet  variable  atmos^eie  of  AmericA. 


CLIKATS. 


849 


The  Americans  are  fond  of  their  climate,  and  considpr  it,  as  they  do 
everything  in  America,  as  the  very  best  in  the  world.  They  are,  as  I 
have  said  before,  most  hdppy  in  their  delusions.  But  if  the  climate  be 
not  a  healthy  one,  it  is  certainly  a  beautiful  climate  to  the  eye  ;  the  sky 
is  so  clear,  the  air  so  dry,  the  tints  of  the  foliage  so  inexpressibly  beauii- 
ful  in  the  autumn  and  early  winter  months :  and  at  night,  the  stars  are  so 
brilliant,  hundreds  being  visible  by  the  naked  eye  which  are  not  to  be 
seen  by  us,  that  I  am  not  surprised  at  the  Americans  praising  the  beauty 
of  their  climate.  The  sun  is  terrific  in  his  heat,  it  is  true,  but  still  one 
cannot  help  feeling  the  want  of  it,  when  in  England,  he  will  disdain  to 
shine  for  weeks.  Since  my  return  tn  this  country,  the  English  reader 
can  hardly  form  an  idea  of  how  much  I  have  longed  for  the  sun.  After 
having  sojourned  for  nearly  two  years  in  America,  the  sight  of  it  has  to 
me  almost  amounted  to  a  necessity,  and  I  am  not  therefore  at  all  aston- 
ished at  an  American  finding  fault  with  the  climate  of  England ;  never- 
theless, our  climate,  althougti  unprepossessing  to  the  eye,  and  depressive 
to  the  animal  spirits,  is  much  more  healthy  than  the  exciting  and  change- 
able atmosphere,  although  beautiful  in  appearance,  which  they  breathe  in 
the  United  States. 

One  of  the  first  points  to  which  I  directed  my  attention  on  my  arri- 
val in  America,  was  to  the  diseases  most  prevalent.  In  the  eastern 
states,  as  may  be  supposed,  they  have  a  great  deal  of  consumption ;  in 
the  western,  the  complaint  is  hardly  known :  but  the  general  nature  <fi 
the  American  diseases  are  neuralgic,  or  those  which  affect  the  nerves, 
and  which  are  common  to  almost  all  the  Union.  Ophthalmia,  particu- 
larly the  disease  of  the  ophthalmic  nerve,  is  very  common  in  the  eastern 
•-tates.  The  medical  men  told  me  that  there  were  annually  more  dis- 
eases of  the  eye  in  New  York  city  alone,  than  perhaps  all  over  Europe. 
How  far  this  may  be  correct  I  cannot  say  ;  but  this  I  can  assert,  that  I 
never  had  any  complaint  in  my  eyes  until  I  arrived  in  America,  and 
during  a  stay  of  eighteen  months,  I  was  three  times  very  severely  afflict- 
ed. The  occulist  who  attended  me  asserted  that  he  had  seven  hundred 
patients. 

The  tic  doloureux  is  another  common  complaint  throughout  America, 
— indeed  so  common  is  it,  ^hat  I  should  say  that  one  out  of  ten  suffers 
from  it,  more  or  less ;  the  majority,  however,  are  women. 

I  saw  more  cases  of  delirium  tremens  in  America,  than  I  ever  heard 
of  before.  In  fact,  the  climate  is  one  of  extreme  excitement.  I  had  not 
been  a  week  in  the  country  before  I  discovered  how  impossible  it  was  for 
a  foreigner  to  drink  as  much  wine  or  spirits  as  he  could  in  England,  and  I 
believe  that  thousands  of  emigrants  have  been  carried  off  by  making  no 
alteration  in  their  habits  upon  their  arrival.* 

The  winters  in  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  Missouri,  and  Upper  Canada,  are 
dry  and  healthy,  enabling  the  inhabitants  to  take  any  quantity  of  exercise, 
and  I  found  that  the  people  looked  forward  to  their  winters  with  pleasure, 
longing  for  the  heat  of  the  summer  to  abate. 

Michigan,  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  a  portion  of  Ohio,  are  very  un- 
healthy m  the  autumns  from  the  want  of  drainage ;  the  bilious  con- 
gestive fever,  ague,  and  dysentery,  carrying  off  large  numbers.  Virginia, 
Kentucky,  North  Carolina,  and  the  eastern  portions  of  Tennessee,  are 
comparatively   healthy.     South  Carolina,  and  all  the    other  southern 

*  Vermont,  New  Hampshire,  the'  interior  portion  of  the  state  of  New 
York,  and  all  the  portions  of  the  othe^  states  which  abut  on  the  great  lakes, 
are  healthy,  owing  to  the  dryness  of  the  atmosphere  being  softened  dowa 
by  the  proximity  of  such  large  i^odies  of  watex. 


IM 


CLilflTf. 


States,  are,  as  it  is  well  known,  visited  by  the  yellow  fever,  and  the  peo« 

Ele  migrate  every  fall  to  the  northward,  not  onlv  to  avoid  the  contagion; 
ut  to  renovate  their  general  health,  which  duffers  from  the  continual 
demand  upon  their  energies,  the  western  and  southern  country  being 
even  more  exciting  than  the  east.  There  is  a  fiery  disposition  in  the 
Southerners  which  is  very  remarkable ;  they  are  much  more  easily  ez« 
cited  than  even  the  Spaniard  or  Italian,  and  their  feelings  are  more  vio- 
lent  and  unrestrainable,  as  I  shall  hereafter  show.  That  this  is  the 
effect  of  climate  I  shall  now  attempt  to  prove  by  one  or  two  circum- 
stances, out  of  the  many  which  fell  under  my  observation.  It  is  im- 
possible  to  imagine  a  ereater  difference  in  character  than  exists  between 
the  hot-blooded  Southerner,  and  the  cold  calculating  Yankee  of  the 
eastern  states.  I  have  already  said  that  there  is  a  continual  stream  of 
emigration  from  the  eastern  states  to  the  southward  and  westward,  the 
farmers  of  the  eastern  states  leaving  their  comparatively  barren  lands 
to  settle  down  upon  the  more  grateful  soils  of  the  interior.  Now,  it  is 
a  singular,  yet  a  well  known  fact,  that  in  a  very  few  years  the  character 
of  the  eastern  farmer  is  completely  changed.  He  arrives  there  a  hard' 
working,  careful,  and  sober  man ;  for  the  first  two  or  three  years  his 
ground  .is  well  tilled,  and  his  crops  are  abundant ;  but  by  degrees  he 
becomes  a  different  character ;  he  neglects  his  farm,  so  that  from  rich 
soil  he  obtains  no  better  crops  than  he  formerly  did  upon  his  poor  land 
in  Massachusetts ;  he  becomes  indolent,  reckless,  and  often  intemperate. 
Before  he  has  settled  five  years  in  the  western  country,  the  climate  has 
changed  him  into  a  western  man,  with  all  the  peculiar  virtues  and  vices 
of  the  country. 

A  Boston  friend  of  mine  told  me  that  he  was  once  on  board  of  a  steam- 
boat on  the  Mississippi,  and  found  that  an  old  schoolfellow  was  first  mate 
of  the  vessel.  They  ran  upon  a  snag,  and  were  obliged  to  lay  the  vessel 
on  shore  until  they  could  put  the  cargo  on  board  of  another  steam-boat, 
and  repair  the  damage.  The  passengers,  as  usual  on  such  occasions, 
instead  of  grumbling  at  what  could  not  be  helped,  as  people  do  in  Eng- 
land, made  themselves  merry ;  and  because  they  could  not  proceed  on 
their  voyage  they  very,  wisely  resolved  to  drink  champaign.  They  did 
80  :  a  farther  supply  being  required,  this  first  mate  was  sent  down  into 
the  hold  to  procure  it.  My  Boston  friend  happened  to  be  at  the  hatch- 
way when  he  went  down  with  a  flaring  candle  in  his  hand,  and  he  ob- 
served the  mate  creep  over  several  small  barrels  until  he  found  the  cham- 
paign cases,  and  ordered  them  up. 

"  What  is  in  those  barrels'!"  inquired  he  of  the  mate,  when  he  came 
up  again. 

"  Oh,  gunpowder  /"  replied  the  mate. 

"  Good  Heavens  !"  exclaimed  the  Bostonian,  "  is  it  possible  that  you 
could  be  so  careless  1  why  I  should  have  thought  better  of  you ;  you  used 
to  be  a  prudent  man." 

'*  Yes,  and  so  I  was,  until  I  came  into  this  part  of  the  country,"  re- 
plied the  mate,  "  but  somehow  or  another,  I  don't  care  for  things  now, 
which,  when  I  was  in  my  own  state,  would  have  frightened  me  out  of  my 
wits."  Here  was  a  good  proof  of  the  southern  recklessness  having  been 
imbibed  by  a  cautious  Yankee. 

I  have  adduced  the  above  instances,  because  I  consider  that  the  ex- 
i.  citement  so  general  throughout  the  Union,  and  forming  so  remarkable 
'  a  feature  in  the  American  character,  is  occasioned  much  more  by  cli- 
mate than  by  any  other  cause :  that  the  peculiarity  of  their  institutions 
'affords  constant  aliment  for  this  excitement  to  feed  upon  is  true,  and  it 


is  theref 
climate  i 
prone,  n 

Jlishman 
ere  in 
nerves, 
allays  th 
ting  habi 
quences.- 
To  the 
be  also  tc 
the  systei 
to  equalii 
also  anoti 
the  Statei 
to  consid 
100°,  an 
Christian 
that  other 
extreme  h 
spirit;   ai 
which  it 
except  dui 
man  to  h 
wish  to  ex 
remarks  u 
(which  the 
for  other  n 
There  i 
climate  o^ 
the  very  b 
admixture 
moreover 
same  vari( 
then  is, 
fist  settle 
healthy. 
I  was 
hesitation 
or  in  form 
sertion,  at 
Kentuckia 
evidence  t 
they  are 
the  finest 
can  figure 
and  it  is 
sion  of  th 
leave  to  ol 
natives  of 
climate,  th 
to  them 
and  healtl 
demoralize 


CLIMATI. 


Ml 


i«  therefore  •eldom  allowed  to  repo»e.  I  think,  moreover,  that  their 
chmate  is  the  occasion  of  two  baa  habits  to  which  the  Americans  are 
prone,  namely,  the  use  of  tobacco  and  of  spiritoos  liquors.    An  En« 

Slishman  could  not  drink  as  the  Americans  do  ;  it  would  destroy  him 
ere  in  a  very  short  time,  by  the  irritation  it  would  produce  upon  his 
nerves.  But  the  effect  of  tobacco  is  narcotic  and  anti-nervous ;  it 
allays  that  irritation,  and  enables  the  American  to  indulge  in  stimula- 
ting habits  without  their  being  attended  with  such  immediate  ill  conse- 
quences.- 

To  the  rapid  changes  of  the  climate,  and  to  the  extreme  heat,  must 
be  also  to  a  great  degree  ascribed  the  excessive  use  of  spiritous  liquors ; 
the  system  being  depressed  by  the  sudden  changes  demanding  stimulus 
to  equalize  the  pulse.  The  extraordinary  heat  during  the  summer  is 
also  another  cause  of  it.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Keid  says,  in  his  Tour  through 
the  States,  '*  the  disposition  to  drink  now  became  intense  ;  we  had  only 
to  consider  how  we  might  safely  gratify  it ;  the  thermometer  rose  to 
100°,  and  the  heat  and  perspiration  were  intolerable."  Now,  if  a 
Christian  divine  acknowledged  this  feeling,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  but 
that  others  must  be  equally  affected.  To  drink  pure  water  during  this 
extreme  heat  is  very  dangerous  :  it  must  be  qualified  with  some  wine  or 
spirit ;  and  thus  is  an  American  led  into^  a  habit  of  drinking,  from 
which  it  is  not  very  easy,  indeed  hardly  possible,  for  him  to  abstain, 
except  during  the  winter,  and  the  winters  in  America  are  too  cold  for  a 
man  to  leave  off  any  of  his  habits.  Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  I 
wish  to  excuse  mtemperance :  far  from  it ;  but  I  wish  to  be  just  in  my 
remarks  upon  the  Americans,  and  show,  that  if  they  are  intemperate 
(which  they  certainly  are),  there  is  more  excuse  for  them  than  there  is 
for  other  nations,  from  their  temptation  arising  out  of  circumstances. 

There  is  but  one  othier  point  to  be  considered  in  examining  into  the 
climate  of  America.  It  will  be  admitted  that  the  American  stock  is 
the  very  best  in  the  world,  being  originally  English,  with  a  favourable 
admixture  of  German,  Irish,  French,  and  other  northern  countries.  It 
moreover  has  the  great  advantage  of  a  continual  importation  of  the 
same  varieties  of  stock  to  cross  and  improve  the  breed.  The  question 
then  is,  have  the  American  race  improved  or  degenerated  since  the 
fi  St  settlement  1  If  they  have  degenerated,  the  climate  cannot  be 
healthy. 

I  was  very  particular  in  examining  into  this  point,  and  I  have  no 
hesitation  in  saying,  that  the  American  people  are  not  equal  in  strength 
or  in  form  to  the  Ilnglish.  I  may  displease  the  Americans  by  this  as- 
sertion, and  they  may  bring  forward  their  Backwoods-men  and  their 
Kentuckians,  who  live  at  the  spurs  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  as 
ctvidence  to  the  contrary  ;  but  although  they  are  powerful  and  tall  men 
they  are  not  well  made,  nor  so  well  made  as  the  Virginians,  who  are 
;he  finest  race  in  the  Union.  There  is  one  peculiar  defect  in  the  Ameri- 
can figure  common  to  both  sexes,  which  is,  narrowness  of  the  shoulderSf 
and  it  is  a  very  great  defect ;  there  seems  to  be  a  check  to  the  expan- 
sion of  the  chest  in  their  climate,  the  physiological  causes  of  which  I 
leave  to  others.  On  the  whole,  they  certainly  are  a  taller  race  than  the 
natives  of  Europe,  but  not  with  proportionate  muscular  strength.  Their 
climate,  therefore,  I  unhesitatingly  pronounce  to  be  bad,  being  injurious 
to  them  in  the  two  important  points,  of  healthy  vigour  in  the  body, 
and  healthy  action  of  the  mind;  enervating  the  one,  and  tending  to 
demoralize  the  other. 


i." 


869 


EDUCATION. 


EDUCATION. 


Mr.  Caret,  in  his  statistical  work,  falls  into  the  great  error  of  most 
American  writers— that  of  laudinz  his  own  country  and  countrymen, 
and  inducing  them  to  believe  that  they  are  superior  to  all  nations  under 
heaven.    This  is  very  injudicious,  and  highly  iniurious  to  the  national 
character:  it  upholds  that  self-conceit  to  which  the  Americans  are 
already  so  prone,  and  checks  that  improvement  so  necessary  to  place 
them  on  a  level  with  the  English  nation.    The  Americans  have  gain- 
ed more  by  their  faults  having  been  pointed  out  by  travellers  than  they 
will  choose  to  allow ;  and,  from  his  moral  courage  in  fearlessly  point- 
ing out  the  truth,  the  best  friend  to  America,  among  their  own  coun- 
trymen, has  been  Dr.  Channine.     I  certainly  was  under  the  impres- 
sion, previous  to  my  visit  to  the  United  States,  that  education  was 
much  more  universal  there  than  in  England  ;    but  every  step  I  took, 
and  every  mile  I  travelled,  lowered  my  estimate  on  that  point.     To 
substantiate  my  opinion  by  statistical  tables  would  be  difficult ;   as, 
ufter  much  diligent  search,  I  find  that  I  can  only  obtain  a  correct  re- 
turn of  a  portion  of  our  own  establishments ;   but,  even  were  I  able  to 
obtain  a  general  return,  it  would  not  avail  me  much,  as,Mr.  Carey  has 
no  general  return  to  oppose  to  it.   He  gives  us,  as  usual,'  Massachusetts 
and  one  or  two  other  States,  but  no  more  :  and,  as  1  have  before  ob- 
served, Massachusetts  is  not  America.      His  remarks  and  quotations 
fiom  English  authors  are  not  fair  ;    they  are  loose  and  partial  observa- 
tions, made  by  those  who  have  a  case  to  substantiate,  riot  that  I  blame 
Mr.  Carey  for  making  use  of  those  authorities,  such  as  they  are;  >jut 
I  wish  to  show  that  they  have  misled  him. 

I  must  first  observe  tnat  Mr.  Carey's  estimate  of  education  in  Eng- 
land is  much  lower  than  it  ought  to  be ;  and  I  may  afterwards  prove 
that  his  estimate  of  education  in  the  United  States  is  equally  errone- 
ous on  the  other  side. 

To  estimate  the  amount  of  education  in  England  by  the  number  of 
national  schools  must  ever  be  wrong.    In  America,  by  so  doing,  a 
fair  approximation  may  be  arrived  at,  as  the  education  of  all  classets 
is  chiefly  confined  to  them ;  but  in  England  the  case  is  difierent ;  not 
only  the  rich  and  those  in  the  middling  classes  of  life,  but  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  poor,  sending  their  children  to  private  schools.    Could  I 
nave  obtained  a  return  of  the  private  seminaries  in  the  United  King- 
dom, it  would  have  astonished  Mr.  Carey.    The  small  parish  of  Ken- 
sington and  its  vicinity  has  only  two  national  schools,  but  it  contains 
SDS*  private  establishments  for  education ;  and  I  might  produce  fifty 
others,  in  which  the  proportion  would  be  almost  as  remarkable.    I 
have  said  that  a  large  portion  of  the  poorer  classes  in  England  send 
their  children  to  private  teachers.    This  arises  from  a  feeling  of  pride ; 
they  prefer  paying  for  the  tuition  of  their  children  rather  than  having 
their  children  educated  by  the  ^artsA,  as  they  term  the  national  schools. 
The  consequence  is,  that  in  every  town,  or  village,  or  hamlet,  you  will 
find  that  there  are  "  dame  schools,"  as  they  are  termed,  at  which  about 
onehalf  of  the  children  are  educated. 

The  subject  of  national  education  has  not  been  warmly  taken  up  in 

England  until  within  these  last  twenty-five  years,  and  has  made  great 

.progress  during  that  period.    The  Church  of  England  Society  for  Na- 

*  I  believe  this  estimate  is  below  th«  mark. 


■wm' 


not 


BOUCATION. 

tion&I  Education  was  established  in  1813.  Two  years  after  its  forina< 
t  ion  there  were  only  330  schools,  containing  40,4a4  children.  By  the 
Twenty-seventh  Report  of  this  Society,  ending  the  year  1838,  thess 
schools  had  increased  to  17,341,  and  the  number  of  scholars  to  1,0()3,087. 
But  this,  it  must  be  recollected,  is  but  a  small  proportion  of  the  public 
education  in  England ;  the  Dissenters  having  been  equally  diligent, 
and  their  schools  being  quite  as  numerous  in  proportion  to  their  num< 
bers.  We  have,  moreover,  the  workhouse  schools,  and  the  dame  schools 
before  mentioned,  for  the  poorer  classes ;  and  for  the  rich  and  middling 
classes,  establishments  for  private  tuition,  which,  could  the  returns  m 
them  and  of  the  scholars  be  made,  would,  I  am  convinced,  amount  to 
more  than  five  times  the  number  of  the  national  and  public  establish- 
ments. But  as  Mr.  Carey  does  not  bring  forward  his  statistical  proofk, 
and  I  cannot  produce  mine,  all  that  1  can  do  is  to  venture  my  opinion 
from  what  I  learnt  and  saw  durinc;  my  sojourn  in  the  United  States,  or 
have  obtained  from  American  and  other  authorities. 

The  State  of  Massachusetts  is  a  school ;  it  may  be  said  that  all  there 
are  educated,  Mr.  Reid  states  in  his  work  : — 

"  It  was  lately  ascertained  by  returns  from  131  towns  in  Massachu- 
setts, that  the  number  of  scholars  was  12,393;  that  the  number  of  per- 
sons in  the  towns  between  the  ages  of  fourteen  and  twenty-one  who  are 
unable  to  write  was  fifty-eight ;  and  in  one  town  there  were  only  thrjee 
persons  who  could  not  read  or  write,  and  thoaa  three  were  dumb." 

I  readily  assent  to  this,  and  I  consider  Connecticut  equal  to  Massa- 
chusetts ;  but  as  you  leave  these  two  states,  ]rou  find  that  education  gra- 
dually diminishes.*  New  York  is  the  next  in  rank,  and  thus  the  scale 
descends  until  you  arrive  ai.  absolute  ignorance. 

I  will  now  give  what  I  consider  as  a  fair  and  impartial  tabular  analysis 
of  the  degrees  of  education  in  the  different  states  in  the  Union.  It  may 
be  cavilled  at,  but  it  will  nevertheless  be  a  fair  approximation.  It  must 
be  remembered  that  it  is  not  intended  to  imply  that  there  are  not  a  certain 
portion  of  well-educated  people  in  those  states  put  down  in  class  4,  as 
Ignorant  states,  but  they  are  included  in  the  Northern  states,  where  they 
principally  receive  their  education. 
V.,.*      degrees  of  Education  in  the  different  States  in  the  Union. 

1st  Class.  Population.  "_' 

Massachusetts    .  '      .        ,        .        .  700,000 

Connecticut  .        ...       .        .      298,000  "^ 


2d  Class. 
New  York 
Maine 

New  Hampshire 
Vermont 
Rhode  Island    . 
New  Jersey 
Ohio 


998,040 

2,400,000t 

655,000 

300,000 

330,000 

110,000 

360,000 
1,300,000        ^     - 
6,365,000 


*  A  church-yard  with  its  mementos  of  mortality  is  sometimes  a  fair  crite- 
rion by  which  to  judge  of  the  degree  of  the  education  of  those  who  lire  near 
it.  In  one  of  the  church-yards  in  Vermont,  there  is  a  tomb-stone  with  as  in- 
scription which  commences  as  follows  : 

"  Paws,  reader,  Paws." 
t  New  York  is  superior  to  the  other  states  in  this  list ;  but  Ohio  is  not 
quite  equal.    I  caa  draw  the  line  no  closer. 

22 


/i 


164 


BDVOATIOK. 


8d  Class. 
Virginia 
North  Carolina 
South  Carolina 
Pennsylvania    . 
Maryland 
Delaware 
Columbia  [district] 
Kentucky 


4th  Class. 
Tennessee 
Georgia 
Indiana 
lUinoia     . 
Alabama  '  . 
Louisiana 
Missouri 
Mississippi'    ^  . 
Michigan     . 
Arkansas 
Wisconsin 
Florida  [territory] 


-> 


1360,000 

800,000 

650,000 

1,600,000* 

,.  500,000 

80,000 

50,000 

800,000 

5,840,000 

900,000 

620,000 

560,000 

320,000 

500,000 

350,000 

350,000 

150,000 

120,000 

70,000 

20,000 

50,000 

6,000,000 


If  I  am  conect,  it  appears  then  that  we  have,- 

Highly  educated        .         .         .      •  .  998,000 

.  Equal  with  Scotland       .        .        .  5,355,000 

Not  equal  with  England     .        .        .        5,840,000 
Uneducatid  .        .        .         .  6,000,000 

This  census  is  an  estimate  of  1836,  sufficiently  near  for  the  purpose. 
It  is  supposed  that  the  population  oi  the  United  States  has  since  increased 
«i>nut  two  millions,  and  of  that  increase  the  great  majority  is  in  the 
Western  states,  where  the  people  are  wholly  uneducated.  Taking, 
therefore,  the  first  three  classes,  in  which  there  is  «ducatien  in  various 
degrees,  we  find  that  they^amount  to  12,193,000  ;  against  which  we  may 
fairly  put  the  5,000,000  uneducated,  adding  to  it,  the  2,000,000  increased 
population,  and  3,000,000  of  slaves. 

I  believe  the  above  to  be  a  fair  estimate,  although  nothing  positive  can 
be  collected  from  it.  In  making  a  comparison  of  the  degree  of  educa- 
tion in  the  United  States  and  in  England,  one  point  should  not  be]  over- 
looked. In  England,  children  may  be  sent  to  school,  but  they  are  taken 
away  as  soon  as  they  are  useful,  and  have  little  time  to  follow  up  their 
education  afterwards.  Worked  like  machines,  every  hour  is  devoted  to 
labour,  and  a  large  portion  forget,  from  disuse,  what  they  have  learnt 
when  young.  In  America,  they  have  the  advantage  not  only  of  being 
educated,  but  of  having  plenty  of  time,  if  they  choose,  to  profit  by  their 
education  in  after  life.  The  mass  in  America  ought,  therefore,  to  be 
better  educated  than  the  mass  in  England,  where  circumstanees  are 
•gainst  it.  I  must  now  examine  the  nature  of  education  given  in  the 
United  States. 

r  Notwithstanding  that  Philadelphia  is  the  capital,  the  state  of  PbiUd«l- 
phia  is  a  great  (Ii«nc«. 


IDVOATIOV. 


166 


It  is  admitted  an  an  azioa  in  the  United  States,  that  the  only  chance 
they  have  of  upholding  their  present  institutions  is  by  the  education  of 
the  mass ;  that  is  to  say,  a  people  who  would  goyem  themselves  must  b« 
enlightened.  Convinced  of  this  necessity,  every  pains  has  been  t^en 
by  the  Federal  and  State  governments  to  provide  ihe  necessary  means  of 
edueation.*  This  is  granted ;  but  we  now  have  to  inquire  into  the  ni^ 
ture  of  the  education,  and  the  advantages  derived  from  such  education 
as  is  received  in  the  United  States. 

In  the  first  place,  what  is  education  1  Is  teaching  a  boy  to  read  and 
write  education  1  If  so,  a  large  proportion  of  the  .^erican  community 
may  be  said  to  be  educated ;  but,  if  you  supply  a  man  with  a  chest  of 
tools,  does  he  therefore  become  {a  carpenter  1  .  You  certainly  give  him 
the  means  .'>f  working  at  the  trade,  but  instead  of  learning  it,  he  may  . 
only  cut  his  fingers.  Reading  and  writing  without  the  1  farther  assist- 
ance necessary  to  guide  people  aright,  is  nothing  more  Uian  a  chest  of 
tools. 

Then,  what  is  education  1  I  consider  that  education  commences  be- 
fore a  child  can  walk :  the  first  principle  of  education,  the  most  impor- 
tant, and  without  which  all  subsequent  are  but  as  leather  and  prunella,  is 
the  lesson  of  obedience — of  submitting  to  parental  control — "  Honour  thy 
father  and  thy  mother  /"  mKHUJi,'^  ****** 

Now,  any  one  who  has  beetTin  the  United  States' must  have  perceived 
that  there  is  little  or  no  parental  control.  This  has  been  remarked  by 
most  of  the  writers  who  have  visited  the  country ;  indeed  to  an  Englislv> 
man  it  is  a  most  remarkable  feature.  How  is  it  possible  for  a  child  to  be 
brought  up  in  the  way  that  it  should  go,  when  he  is  not  obedient  to  the|will 
of  his  parental  I  have  often  fallen  into  a  melancholy  sort  of  musing 
after  witnessing  such  remarkable  specimens  of  uncontrolled  will  ii^ 
children ;  and  as  the  father  and  |mother  both  smiled  at  it,  I  have  thought 
that  they  little  knew  what  sorrow  and  vexation  were  probably 'in  store 
for  them,  in  consequence  of  their  ovm  injudicious  treatment  of  their 
offspring.  Imagine  a  child  of  three  [years  ^old  in  England  behavii^ 
thus  :— 

"  Johnny,  my  dear,  come  here,"  says  his  mamma. 
I    *•  I  won't,",  cries  Johnny, 
f   ••  You  must,  my  love,  you  are  all  wet,  and  you'll  catch  cold." 

•' I  won't,"  replies  Johnny. 

"  Come,  my  sweet,  and  I've  something  for  you." 

"Iwon't."..^ 

'*  Oh !  Mr, ,  do,  pray  make  Johnny  come  in." 

"  Come  in,  Johnny,"  says  the  falser. 
'    "  I  won't." 
^    "  I  tell  you,  come  in  directly,  sir— do  you  hear  1" 

"  I  won't,"  replies  the  urchin  taking  to  his  heels. 
'    "  A  sturdy  republican,  sir,"  says  his  father  to  me,  smiling  at  the  boy's 
resolute  disobedience. 

Be  it  recollected  that  I  give  'this  as  one  instance  of  a  thousand  which 
I  witnessed  during  my  sojourn  in  the  country. 

It  may  be  inquired,  how  is  it  that  such  is  the  case  at  present,  when  thiB 
obedience  to  parents  was  so  rigorously  inculcated  by  the  puritan  fathers, 
that  by  the  blue  laws,  the  punishment  of  disobedience  was  death  1    Cap. 

*Mi8s  Martineau  says  :  "  Though,  as  a  whole,  the  nation  is  probably  be«< 
tor  informed  than  any  other  entire  nation,  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  their 
knowledge  is  far  inferior  to  what  their  safety  and  their  virtue  require." 


»6* 


IDOCATIOir. 


tain  Hall  ascribes  it  to  the  democracy,  and  the  rights  of  equality  tBerein 
acknowledged ;  but  I  think,  allowing  the  spirit  of  their  institutions  to 
have  some  effect  in  producing  this  evil,  that  the  principal  cause  of  it  is 
the  total  neglect  of  tli^  children  by  the  father,  and  his  absence  in  his  pro- 
fessional pursuits,  and  the  natural  weakness  of  most  mothers,  when  tneir 
children  are  left  altogether  to  their  care  and  guidance. 

Mr.  Saundersoii,  in  his  Sketches  of  Paris,  observes — "  The  motherly 
virtues  of  our  Women,  so  eulogized  by  foreigners,  is  not  entitled  to  un- 
qualified praise.  There  is  no  country' in  which  maternal  care  is  so  assi- 
duous ;  but  also  there  is  none  in  wluch  examples  of  injudicious  tender- 
ness are  so  frequent."  This  I  believe  to  be  true ;  not  that  the  American 
women  are  really  more  injudicious  than  those  of  England,  but  because 
they  are  not  supported  as  they  should  be  by  the  authority  of  the  father, 
of  whom  the  child  should  always  entertain  a  certain  portion  of  fear  mixed 
with  affection,  to  counterbalance  the  indulgence  accorded  by  natural 
yearnings  of  a  mother's  heart. 

The  self-will  arising  from  this  fundamental  error  manifests  itself  through- 
out the  whole  career  of  the  American's  existence,  and,  consequently,  it; 
is  a  self-willed  nation  par  excellence.  N^mM 

At  theage  of  six  or  seven  you  will  hear  both  boys  and  girls'contradict- 
ing  their  fathers  and  mothers,  and  advancing  their  own  opinions  with  a 
firmness  which  is  very  striking. 

At  fourteen  or  fifteen  the  boys  will  seldom  remain  longer'at  school. 
At  college,  it  is  the  same  *hir</;*  and  they  learn  precisely  what! they 
please  and  no  more.  Corpcral  punishment  is  not. permitted.;  indeed,  if 
we  are  to  judge  from  an  extract  I  took  from  an  American  paper,  the  case 
is  reversed. 

The  following  "  Rules"  are  posted  up  in  New  Jersey  school-house : — 

"  No  kissing  girls  in  school-time ;  no  licking  the  master  during  holy- 
days." 

At  fifteen  or  sixteen,  if  not  at  college,  the  boy  assumes  the'man ;  he 
enters  into  business,  as  a  clerk  to  some  merchant,  dr  in  some  store.  Hi9 
father's  home  is  abandoned,  except  when  it  may  suit  his  convenience,  his 
salary  being  sufficient  for  most  of  his  wants.  He  frequents  the  bar,  calls 
for  gin  cocktails,  chews  tobacco,  and  talks  politic^}.  His  theoretical  edu- 
cation, whether  he  has  profited  much  by  it  or  not,  is^now  superseded  by 
a  more  practical  one,  in  which  he  obtains  a  most  rapid  proficiency.  I 
have  no  hesitation  in  asserting  that  there  is  more  practical  knowledge 
among  the  Americans  than  among  any  other  people  under  the  sun."t 

*  Mrs.  Tiollope  says :  "  At  sijtteen,  often  much  earlier,  education  ends 
and  money  making  begins ;  the  idea  that  more  learning  is  necessary  than  can 
be  acquired  by  that  time,  is  generally  ridiculed  as  absolute  monkish  bigotry : 
added  to  which,  if  the  seniors  willed  a  more  prolonged  discipline,  the  juniors 
would  refuse  submission.  When  the  money  getting  begins,  leisure  ceases, 
end  all  the  lore  which  can  be  acquired  afterwards  is  picked  up  from  novels, 
magazines,  and  newspapers." 

Captain  Hall  also  remarks  upon  this  point':—"  I  speak  now  from  the  au- 
thority of  the  Americans  themselves.  There  is  the  greatest  possible  difficulty 
in  fixing  yoimg  men  Ion{g  enough  at  college.  Innumerable  devices  have  been 
tried  with  considerable  ingenuity  to  remedy  this  evil,  and  the  best  possiblo 
intentions  by  the  professors  and  other  public-spirited  persons  who  are  sin? 
oerely  grieved  to  see  so  many  incompetent,  half-qualifiea  men  in  almost  every 
oomer  of  the  country." 

i  Captain  Hamilton  very  truly  observes—"  Though  I  have  unauestionably 
met  iiiNew  York  with  many  most  intelligent  aai  accomplished  gentlemen* 


says, 


goon. 


J>^ 


* 


tfDOCATidtl. 


267 


It  is  singular  that  in  America,  every  thing,  whether  it  be  of  good  or 
evil,  appears  to  assist  the  country  in  going  a-head.  This  very  want  of 
parental  control,  however  it  may  affect  the  morals  of  the  community, 
IS  .certainly  advantageous  to  America,  as  far  as  her  rapid  advancement 
is  concerned.  Boys  are  working  like  men  for  years  before  they  would  be 
in  England ;  time  is  money,  and  they  assist  to  bring  in  the  harvest. 
^^But  does  this  independence  on  the  part  of  the  youth  of  America  end 
here  1  On  the  contrary,  what  at  first  was  independence,  assumes  next 
the  form  of  opposition,  and  eventually  that  of  control. 

The  young  men  before  they  are  qualified  by  age'to  claim  their  rights 
as  citizens,  have  their  societies,  their  book-clubs,  their  political  meetings, 
their  resolutions,  all  of  which  are  promulgated  in  the  newspapers ;  and 
very  often  the  young  men's  societies  are  called  upon  by  the  newspapers 
to  come  forward  with  their  opinions.  Here  is  opposition.  Mr.  Cooper 
says,  in  his  "Democrat,",  (p.  152.) —  •'1 

"  The  defects  in  American  deportment  are,'notwithstanding,  numerous, 
and  palpable.  Among  the  first  may  be  ranked,  insubordination  in  chil- 
dren, and  a  great  want  of  respect  for  age.  The  former  vice  may  be  as- 
cribed to  the  business  habits  of  the  country,  which  leave  so  little  time  for 
parental  instruction,  and,  perhaps,  in  some  degree  to  the  acts|of  political 
agents,  who,  with  their  own  advantages  in  view,  among  the  other  ex- 
pedients of  their  cunning,  have  resorted  to  the  artifice  of  separating 
children  from  their  natural  advisers  by  calling  meetings  of  the  young  ta 
decide  on  the  fortunes  and  policy  of  the  country." 

But  what  is  more  remarkable,  is  the  fact  that  society  has  been  usurped 
by  the  young  people,  and  the  married  and  old  people  have  been  to  a  cer- 
tain degree,  excluded  from  it.  A  young  lady  will  give  a  ball,  and  ask 
none  but  young  men  and  young  women  of  her  acquaintance ;  not  a 
chaperon  is  permitted  to  enter,  and  her  father  and  mother  are  requested 
to  stay  up  stairs,  that  they  may  not  interfere  with  the  amusement.  This 
is  constantly  the  case  in  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore,  and  I  have  heard 
bitter  complaints  made  by  the  married  people  concerning  it.  Here  is  C07i-> 
trol.     Mr.  Sanderson,  in  his  "  Sketches  of  Paris,"  observes — 

"  They  who  give  a  tone  to  society  should  have  maturity _^of  mind  ;  they 
should  have  refinement  of  taste,  which  is  a  ^quality  of  age.  As  long 
aa  college  beaux  and  boarding-school  misses  take  the  lead,  it  must  be  an 
insipid  society,  in  whatever  community  it  may  exist.  Is  it  not  villainous, 
in  your  Quakerships  of  Philadelphia,  to  lay  us,  before  we  have  lived  half 
our  time  out,  upon  the  shelf]  Some  of  the  native  tribes,  more  merciful^ 
eat  the  old  folks  out  of  the  way." 

However,  retribution  follows  :  in  their  turn  they  marry,'  and  are  eject- 
ed ;  they  have  children,  and  are  disobeyed.  The  pangs  which  they  have 
occasioned  to  their  own  parents  are  now  suffered  by  them  in  return, 
through  the  conduct  of  their  own  children  ;  and  thus  it  goes  on,  and  will 
go  on,  until  the  system  is  changed. 

All  this  is  undeniable ;  and  thus  it  appears  thatjthe  youth  of  America, 

still  I  think  the  fact  cannot  be  denied,  that  the  average  of  acquiremsnt  re- 
sulting from  education  is  a  good  deal  lower  in  this  country  than  in  the  better 
•ircles  in  England.  In  all  the  knowledge  which  must  be  taught,  and  which 
requires  laborious  study  for  its  attainment,  I  should  say  the  Americans  are 
eonsiderably  inferior  to  my  countrymen.  In  that  knowledge,  on  the  other 
hand,  which  the  individual  acquires  for  himself  by  actual  observation,  which 
bears  an  immediate  marketable  value  and  is  directly  available  in  the  ordinary 
avocations  of  life,  I  do  not  imagine  that  the  Americans  are  exselled  by  an/ 
people  in  the  world." 

m 


1 


i6$ 


tmoAttoit. 


being  under  no  control,  acquire  just  as  much  as  they  pTease,  and  no  mor^'f 
of  what  may  be  termed  theoretical  knowledge.  This  is  the  first  sreaf 
•rror  in  American  education,  for  how  many  boys  are  there  who  will  Team 
without  cdercion,  in  proportion  to  the  number  who  will  not  1  Certainly  not 
one  in  ten,  and,  therefore  it  may  be  assumed  that  not  one  in  ten  is  pro- 
perly instructed.* 

Now,  that  the  education  of  the  youth  of  America  is  much  injured  by 
this  want  of  coniiol  on  the  part  of  the  parents,  is  easily  established  by 
the  fact  that  in  those  states  where  the  parental  control  is  the  neatest, 
as  in  Massachusetts,  the  education  is  proportionably  superior.     But  this 

freat  error  is  followed  by  consequences  even  more  lamentable':  it  is  the 
rst  dissolving  power  of  the  kindred  attraction,  so  manifest  tnroughout 
all  American  society.  Beyond  the  period  of  infancy  there  is  no  endear- 
ment between  the  parents  and  children ;  none  of  that  sweet  spirit  of  af- 
fection between  brother  and  sisters ;  none  of  those  links  which  unite  one 
fomily ;  of  that  mutual  confidence ;  that  rejoicing  in  each  other's  suc- 
cess ;  that  refuge,  when  they  are  depressed  or  aflHicted,  in  the  bosoms  of 
those  who  love  us — the  sweetest  portion  of  human  existence,  which  sup- 
ports us  under,  and  encourages  us  firmly  to  brave,  the  ilh  of  life — no- 
thing of  this  exists.  In  short,  there  is  hardly  such  a  thing  in  America 
as  '•  Home,  sweet  home."  That  there  are  exceptions  to  this,  I  grant  ; 
but  I  speak  of  the  great  majority  of  cases,  and  the  results  upon  the  cha- 
xactcr  of  the  nation.  Mr.  Cooper,  speaking  of  the  weakness  of  the  fami- 
ly tie  in  America,  says — 

"  Let  the  reason  be  what  it  will,  the  effect  is  to  cut  us  off  from  a  large 
portion  of  the  happiness  that  is  dependent  on  the  affections." 

The  next  error  of  American  education  is,  that  in  their  anxiety  to  instil 
into  the  minds  of  youth  a  proper  and  anient  lore  of  their  own  institu- 
tions, feelings  and  sentiments  are  fostered  which  ought  to  be  most  care- 
fully checked.  It  matters  little  whether  these  feelings  (in  themselves 
vices)  are  directe'd  against  the  institutions  of  other  countries ;  the  vice 
snce  engendered  remains,  and  hatred  once  implanted  in  the  breast  of 
youth,  will  not  be  confined  in  its  action.  Neither  will  national  conceit 
remain  only  nalionai  conceit,  or  vanity  be  confined  to  admiration  of  a 
form  of  government ;  in  the  present  mode  of  educating  the  youth  of 
America,  all  sight  is  lost  of  humility,  good-will,  and  the  other  Christian 
virtues,  which  are  necessary  to  constitute  a  food  man,  whether  he  be  as 
American,  or  of  any  other  country. 

Let  us  examine  the  manner  in  which  a  child  is  taught..  Democracy, 
equality,  the  vastness  of  his  own  country,  the  glorious  mdependence,  the 
auperiority  of  the  Americans  in  aU  conflicts  by  sea  or  land,  are  impressed 
upon  his  mind  before  he  can  well  read.  AH  their  elementary  books  con- 
tain garbled  and  false  accounts  of  naval  and  land  engagements,  in  which 
•very  credit  is  given  to  the  Americans,  and  equal  vituperation  and  dis- 
grace thrown  upon  their  opponents.  Monarchy  is  derided,  the  equa) 
rights  of  man  declared. — All  ia  invective,  uncharitableness,  and  false- 
hood. 

That  I  may  not  in  this  be  supposed  to  have  asserted  too. much,  I  will 
q^aote  areadingrlesson  from  a  child's  book,  which  I  purchased  in  America 

*  The  master  of  a  school  could  not  manage  the  gals,  they  being  excsed- 
itt^y  contumacious.  Beat  them,  he  dared  not  ;  so  he  hit  upon  an  expedient. 
lie  madfe  a  very  strong  decoction  of  wormwood,  and  for  a  slight  offence^ 
poured  one  spoonful,  down  their  throats:  for  a  more  serious,  one,,  he  mada/ 
ikem  take  two-. 


"6. 

spot  in t 
George 
kind  of  t 

7.  "^ 
city,  a  g 

8.  ""^ 


■DtroATioir. 


9B9 


u  a  cariosity,  and  is  now  in  my  possession.  It  is  called  the  ^  Primary 
Reader  for  Young  Children,"  and  contains  many  stories  besides  this,  re* 
lative  to  the  history  of  the  country. 

«  Lesson  62. 

'<  Stoiy  about  the  4th  of  July. 

*'  6.  "  I  must  tell  you  what  the  people  of  New  York  did.    In  a  certain 

spot  in  that  city  there  stood  a  largo  statue,  or  representation  of  King 

George  III.     It  was  made  of  lead.     In  one  hand  he  held  a  sc^p  re,  ot 

kind  of  sword,  and  on  his  head  he  wore  a  crown.  f'  «-- 

7.  "  When  the  news  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  reached  the 
city,  a  great  multitude  were  seen  running  to  the  statue. 

8.  •'  The  cry  was  heard,  'Down  with  it— down  with  it !'  and  soon  a 
rope  was  placed  about  its  neck,  and  the  leaden  King  George  came  turn- 
bhng  down. 

•  9.  "  This  might  fairly  be  interpreted  'as  a  striking  prediction  of  the 
downfall  of  the  monarchial  form  of  government  in  these  United  States. 
>    10.  "  If  we  look  into  history,  we  shall  frequently  find  great  events  pro- 
ceeding from  as  trifling  causes  as  the  fall  of  the  leaden  statue,  which  not 
unaptly  represents  the  character  of  a  despotic  prince. 

11.  "I  shall  only  add,  that  when  the  statue  was  fairly  dewn^  it  was' 
cut  to  pieces,  and  converted  into  musket-balls  to  kill  the  soldiers  whom, 
his  majesty  had  sent  over  to  fight  the  Americans." 

This  is  quite  sufF.cient  for  a  specimen.  I  have  no  doubt  that  it  will  be 
argued  by  the  Americans — "  We  are  justified  in  bringing  up  our  youth 
to  love  our  institutions."  I  admit  it ;  but  you  bring  them  up  to  hate  other 
people,  before  they  have  sufficient  intellect  to  understand  the  merits  of 
the  case. 

The  author  of  "  A  Voice  from  America,"  observes — 

"  Such,  to  a  great  extent  is  the  unavoidable  effect  of  that  political 
education  which  is  indispensable  to  all  classes  of  a  self-governed  people. 
They  must  be  trained  to  it  from  their  cradle  ;  it  must  ge-  into  all 
schools  ;  it  must  thoroughly  leaven  the  national  literature;  it  must  be 
'^line  upon  line,  and  precept  upon  precept,'  here  a  little  and  there  a  little  ; 
it  must  be  sung,  discoursed,  and  thought  upon  everywhere  and-  by  every- 
body." 

And"  so  it  is ;  and  as  if  this  scholastic  drilling  were  not  sufficient, 
every  year  brings  round  the  4th  of  July,  on  which  is  read  in  every  por- 
tion of  the  states  the  act  of  independence,  in  itself  sufficiently  vitupera* 
tive,  but  invariably  followed  up  by  one  speech  (if  not  more)  from  some 
great  personage  of  the  village,  hamlet,  town,  or  city,  as  it  may  be,  in 
which  the  more  violent  he  is  against  monarchy  and  the  English,  and 
the  more  he  flatters  his  own  countrymen,  the  more  is  his  speech  ap- 
plauded. 

Every  year  is  this  drilled  into  the  ears  of  the  American  boy,  until  he 
leaves  school,  when  he  takes  a  political  part  himself,  connecting  himself 
with  young  men's  society,  where  he  spouts  about  ^tyrants,  crowned 
beads,  shades  of  his  forefathers,  blood  flowing  like  water,,  independence, 
and  glory. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Reid  very  truly  observes,  of  the  reading;  of  the  De- 
claration of  Independence — "  There  is  one  thing,  however,  that  may. 
justly  claim  the  calm  consideration  of  a  great  and  (generous  people. 
Now  that  half  a  century  has  passed  awa  f,  is  it  necessary  to  the  plea- 
sures of  this  day  to  revive  feelings  in  the  children  which,  if  they  wero 
fpyini  in  the  parent,  were  to  be  excused  only  by  the  eztreioities  to  whicb 


'  4 


I 


96 


BSUOATION. 


they  were  pressed '!  Is  it  generous,  now  that  they  have  achibved  the 
Tictory,  not  to  forgive  the  adversary  1  Is  it  manly,  now  that  they  have 
nothing  to  fear  from  Britain,  to  indulge  in  expressions  of  hate  and  vin- 
dictiveness,  which  are  the  proper  language  of  fear  1  Would  there  be 
less  patriotism,  because  there  was  more  charity  1  America  should  feel 
that  ner  destinies  are  high  and  peculiar.  She  should  scorn  the  patriot- 
ism which  cherishes  the  love  of  one's^  own  country,  by  the  hatred  of  all 
oUiers." 

I  think,  after  what  I  have  brought  forward,  the  reader  will  agree  with 
me,  Uiat  the  education  of  the  youth  in  the  United  States  is  immoral,  and 
the  evidence  that  it  is  so,  is  in  the  demoralization  which  has  taken  place 
in  the  United  States  since  the  era  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
and  which  fact  is  freely  admitted  by  so  many  American  writers  — 

"  ^tas  parentum  pejor  avis  tulit 
No8  nequiores,  raox  daturos 
Progeniem  vitiosiorem. " 

HorAce,  lib.  iii.,  ode  6. 

I  shall  by  and  by  show  some  of  the  effects  produced  by  this  injudicious 
system  of  education ;  of  which,  if  it  is  necesaary'to  uphold  their  democra- 
tical  institutions,  I  can  only  say,  with  Dr.  Franklin,  that  the  Americans 
"  pay'much  too  dear  for  their  whittle." 

It  is,  however,  a  fact,  that  education  (such  as  I  have  shown  it  to  be) 
is  in  the  United  States  more  equally  diffused.  They  have  very  few  citi- 
zens of  the  States  (except  a  portion  of  those  in  the  West)  who  may  be 
cunsider<^d  as  "  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water,"  those  duties  being 
performed  by  the  emigrant  Irish  and  German,  and  the  slave  population. 
The  education  of  the  higher  classes  is  not  by  any  means  equal  to  that 
of  the  old  countries  of  Europe.  You  meet  very  rarely  with  a  good  clas- 
sical scholar,  or  a  very  highly  educated  man,  although  some  there  certainly 
are,  especially  in  the  legal  profession.  The  Americans  have  not  the 
leisure,  for  such  attainments:  hereafter  they  may  have  ;  but  at  present 
they  do  right  to  look  principally  to  Europe  for  literature,  as  they  can  ob- 
tain it  thence  cheaper  and  better.  In  every  liberal  profession  you  will  find 
that  the  ordeal  necessary  to  be  gone  through  is  not  such  as  it  is  with  us ; 
if  it  were,  the  difficulty  of  retaming  the  young  men  at  college  would  be 
much  increased.  To  show  that  such  is  the  case,  I  will  now  just  give 
the  difference  of  the  acquirements  demanded  in_the  new  and  old  country 
to  qualify  a  young  man  as  an  M.  D. : — 

English  Physician.  American  Physician. 

1.  A  regular  classical  education  at  college       1.  Not  required. 

2.  Apprenticeship  of  not  less  than  five  years     2.  One  year's  apprenticeship, 

3.  Preliminary  examination  in  the  classics,  &c.  3.  Not  required. 

4.  Sixteen  months'  attendance  at  lectures  in  2^  4.  Eight  months  in  two  years, 

years. 

5.  'Twelve  months'  hospital  practice.  ^5.  Not  required, 

6.  Lectures  on  botany,  natural  philosophy,  &c.  6.  Not  required. 

If  the  men  in  America  enter  so  early  into  life  that  they  have'not  time 
to  obtain  the  acquirements  supposed  to  be  requisite  with  us,  it  is  much 
the  same  thing  with  the  females  of  the  upper  classes,  who,  from  the  pre- 
cocious ripening  by  the  climate  aud  consequent  early  marriages,  may  be 
taid  to  throw  down  their  dolls  that  they  may  nurse  their  children. 

The  Americans  are  very  justly  proud  of  their  women,  and  appear 
tacitly  to  acknowledge  the  want  of  theoretical  education  in  their  ownser, 
by  the  care  and  attention  which  they  pay  to  the  instruction  of  the  other. 


IDUCATIOIT. 


tei 


Their  exertions  are,  however,  to  a  certain  degree,  checked  by  the  eir^ 
cumstance,  that  there  is  not  sufficient  time  allowed  previous  to  the  mar- 
riage of  the  females  to  give  that  solidity  to  their  knowledge  which  would 
ensure  its  permanency.  They  attempt  too  much  for  so  short  a  space  of 
time.  Two  or  three  years  are  usually  the  period  during  which  the  young 
women  remain  at  the  establishments,  or  colleges  I  may  call  them  (for  in 
reality  thev  are  female  coUesesO  In  the  prospectus  of  the  Albany  Fe- 
male Academy,  I  find  that  ue  classes  run  through  the  following  branch- 
es : — French,  book-keeping,  ancient  history,  ecclesiastical  history,  his- 
tory of  literature,  composition,  political  economy,  American  constitution, 
law,  natural  theofogy,  mental  philosophy,  geometry,  trigonometry,  al- 
gebra, natural  philosophy,  astronomy,  chemistry,  botany,  mineralogy, 
Seolosy,  natural  history,  and  technology,  besides  drawing,  penmanship, 
cc.  &c. 

It  is  almost  impossible  for  the  mind  to  retain,  for  any  length  of  time, 
such  a  variety  of  knowledge,  forced  into  it  before  a  female  has  ar- 
rived to  the  age  of  sixteen  or  seventeen,  at  which  age,  the  study  of  these 
sciences,  as  is  the  case  in  England,  should  commence  not  finish.  I  have 
already  mentioned  that  the  examinations  which  I  attended  were  highly 
creditable  both  to  preceptors  and  pupils ;  but  the  duties  of  an  Ameiican 
woman  as  I  shall  hereafter  explain,  sopn  find  her  other  occupation,  and 
the  ologiet  are  lost  in  the  realities  of  life.  Diplomas  are  given  at  most 
of  these  establishments,  on  the  young  ladies  completing  their  course  of 
studies.  Indeed,  it  appears  to  be  almost  necessary  that  a  young  lady 
should  produce  this  diploma  as  a  certificate  of  being  qualified  to  bnng  up 
young  republicans.  I  observed  to  an  American  gentleman  how  youthful 
his  wife  appeared  to  be — "  yes."  replied  he,  "  I  married  her  a  month 
after  she  had  gradtiated"  The  following  are  the  terms  of  a  diplomat 
which  was  given  to  a  young  lady  at  Cincinnati,  and  which  she  permitted 
me  to  copy  :— 

*'  In  testimony  of  the  zeal  and  industry  with  which  Miss  M T 

has  prosecuted  the  prescribed  course  of  studies  in  the  Cincinnati  f^emale 
Institution,  apd  the  honourable  proficiency  which  she  has  attained  in  pen- 
manship, arithmetic,  English  grammar,  rhetoric,  belles-lettres,  composi- 
tion, ancient  and  modern  geography,  ancient  and  modem  history,  chem- 
istry, natural  philosophy,  astronomy,  dec.  Ac.  &c.,*of  which^she  has  given 
proofs  by  examination. 

"  And  also  ftsa  mark  of  her  amiable  deportment,  intellectual  acquire-' 
ments,  and  our  affectionate  regard,  we  have  granted  her  this  letter — tha 
highest  honour  bestowed  in  this  institution. 

[Seal.]        "  Given  under  our  hands  at  Cincinnati,  this  19th  day  of 
"July,  Anno  Domini  1837." 

The  ambition  of  the  Americans  to  be  a-head  of  other 'nations  in  every 
thing,  produces,  however,  injurious  effects,  so  far  as  the  education  of  the 
women  is  concerned.  The  Americans  will  not  "  leave  well  alone,^*  they 
must  "gild  refined  gold,"  rather  than  not  consider  themselves  in  advance 
of  other  countries,  particularly  (^  England.  Thsy  alter  our  language, 
and  think  that  they  have  improved  upon  it ;  as  in  the  same  way  they 
would  raise  the  standard  of  morals  higher  than  with  us,  and  consequently 
fall  much  below  us,  appearances  supplying  the  place  of  the  reality.  In 
these  endeavours  they  sink  into  a  siekly  sentimentality,  and,  as  I  have 
observed  before,  attempts  at  refinement  in  language,  really'  excite  im- 
proper ideas.  As  a  proof  of  the  ridiculous  excess  to  which  this  is  occa- 
sionally carried,  I  shall  insert  an  address  which  I  observed  in  print ;  had 


il 


#» 


Mt 


nUOATION. 


r  ;  . 


■Qch  •  doeunutnt  appeared  in  the  English  newapi^rs,  it  would  hate  been 
considered  as  a  hoax. 


t!f 


'Ills.  MAin>ILtB*S  AODSISS 


"  To  the  young  ladiea  of  the  Lancaster  Female  Academy  ^  at  an  examina- 
tion  onthe9d  March,  1888. 
"  Affeetionate  Pupils : — ^With  many  of  you  this  is  our  final  meeting  in 
the  relative  position  of  teacher  and  pooil,  and  we  must  part  perhaps  to 
meet  no  more.  That  this  reflection  fiUratee  from  my  mmi  to  my  heart 
with  saddening  influence,  I  need  scarce  assure  you.  But  Hope,  in  a 
Toice  sWeei  as  '  the  wild  straius  of  the  Eolian  harp,'  whispers  in  ulcet 
accents, '  we  may  again  meet.''  In  youth  the  linpressions  of  sorrow  are 
fleetinffand  evanescent  as  'thevapery  tat'/,' that  momentarily  o'ersha- 
dows  the  Iwif  grout  orb  of  even,  vanishes  and  leaves  her  disc  untarnished 
in  its  luetre :  so  may  it  be  with  you — ^may  the  gloom  of  this  moment,  like 
the  elemental  prototype,  be  but  the  precursor  of  reappearing  radiance 
undimmed  by  the  transitory  shadow. 

**  Happy  and  bright  indeed  has  been  this  small  portion  of  your  time  oc* 
cnpie4,  not  only  in  the  interesting  pursuit  of  science,  but  in  a  reciproca' 
tion  of  attentions  and  sympathies,  endeared  by  that  holiest  ligament  of 
earthly  sensibilities,  religion,  whitdl  so  oft  has  united  us  in  soul  and  sen- 
timent, as  the  aspirations  of  our  hearts  simultaneously  ascended  to  the 
mercy-seat  of  the  neat  Jehovah !    The  remembrance  of  emotions  like 
these;«re  inefiaceable  by  care  or  sorrow,  and  only  blotted  oat  by  the  im> 
mutATe  hand  of  death.    These  Aa^on  hours  of  biMingexistenee  are  to 
memory  u  the  oasis  of  the  desert,  where  we  may  recline  beneatii  the 
soothing  influence  of  their  umbrage,  and  quaflf  in  the  goblet  qf  retrospee- 
Hon  the  lucid  draught  that  refreshes  for  the  moment,  and  is  again  forgot- 
ten.     Permit  me  to  solicit,  that  the  immaculate  principles  of  virtue,  I 
have  jso  often  and  so  carefully  inculcated,  may  not  be  forgotten,  but  per- 
severingljT  cherished  and  practised.    May  the  divine  dictates  of  reason 
murmiir  in  harmonious  cadence,  bewitching  as  the  fabled  melody  of  the 
musical  bells  on  the  trees  of  the  Mahomedan  Paradise.    She  dwells  not 
alone  beneath  the  glittering  star,  nor  is  always  encircled  by  the  diamond 
cestus  and  the  jewei'd  tiara !  indeed  not !  and  the  brilliancy  emulged  from 
the  spangling  gems,  but  make  more  hideous  the  dark,  black  spot  enshrined 
in  the  effulgence.    The  traces  of  her  peaceful  footsteps  are  round  alike  in 
the  dilapidated  hovel  of  the  beggared  peasant,  and  the  velvlled  saloon  of 
the  coroneted  noble ;  who  may  then  apportion  her  a  home  or  assign  her  a 
clime  1    In  makins  my  acknowledgments  for  the  attentive  interest  with 
which  you  received  my  instructions;  and  the  respectful  regard  you  mani- 
fested in  appreciating  my  advice,  it  is  not  as  a  compliment  to  your  vanity, 
but  a  debt  due  to  your  politeness  and  good  sense.     Long,  my  beloved  pu- 
pils may  my  precepts  and  admonitions  live  in  your  hearts ;  and  hasten 
you,  in  the  language  of  Addison,  to  commit  yourself  to  the  care  of  Omni- 
potence, an  ^  when  the  morning  calls  again  to  toil,  cast  all  your  cares  upon 
him  the  au  ,aor  of  your  being,  who  has  conducted  you  through  one  stage 
of  existe:  ^.e,  and- who  will  always  be  present  to  guide  and  attend  your 
progress  through  eternity." 

An  advertisement  of  Mr.  BoniU's  Collegiate  Institute  for  Young  La- 
dies, af^r  enumerating  the  various  branches  of  literature  to  be  taught, 
winds  up  with  the  following  paragraph : —  ^ 

"And  finally,  it  will  be  constantly  inculcated,  that  their  education 
will  be  completed  when  they  have  the  power  to  extend  unaided,  a  spirit 


BDVOATION. 


"^ 


lea 


of  meatigation,  aearching  and  appreciating  truth,  toitKout  patting  tkt 
loundt  aiiigned  to  the  human  unneratanding." 

I  have  now  completed  this  volume,  and  although  I  omitted  the  ma> 
jor  portion  of  my  Diary,  that  I  might  not  trespass  too  long  upon  tiie 
reader,  my  task  is  still  far  from  its  termination.  The  most  important 
parts  of  it — an  examination  into  the  American  society  and  their  govern- 
ment, and  the  conclusions  to  be  drawn  from  the  observations  already 
made  upon  several  subjects ;  in  short,  the  working  out  of  the  problem, 
as  it  were,  is  still  to  be  executed.  I  have  not  written  one  line  of  this 
work  without  deliberation  and  eMmination.  What  I  have  alreftdy  don* 
has  cost  me  much  labour — what  I  have  to  do  will  cost  me  more.  I 
must,  therefore,  clair  for  myself  the  indulgence  of  the  public,  and  request 
that,  in  justice  to  the  Americans,  thev  will  not  decide  until  they  mv« 
perused  the  second  portion,  [with  which  I  shall,  as  speedily  as  I  can, 
wind  up  my  observations  upon  the  United  States  and  their  Institutions. 

•  ■"•'  -,      .    —  '  •  F.  IL   • 


* 


TBB  END. 


'V! 


A- 


13x"; 


